Beyond the Void
by The Phantom Traveler
Summary: The Grineer have discovered an Orokin artifact that can open portals to other universes. The Tenno find out and attack them with a Railjack fleet. In the midst of battle, a Tenno squad and their Railjack are sucked into the collapsing portal. As they exit the portal, they find themselves in the Human Covenant War. If they are to return home, the Tenno must find new allies quickly.
1. Timeline

**BEYOND THE VOID: A WARFRAME X HALO STORY**

Timeline of the WARFRAME Universe

**The following timeline is fictional. Dates used in this timeline is the author's attempt to create an accurate depiction of events that occurred in the Warframe Universe. I do not own Warframe or Halo series. **

* * *

Years & Terms:

OE - Orokin Era

POE - Post Orokin Era

Warframe - Powerful exo armor suits that the Tenno control via Transference. They can harness their Void powers and use it in a variety of ways.

* * *

500 OE - The **Orokin Empire**, an advanced civilization that ruled the Origin System, creates massive terraforming drones that can adapt to any obstacle they encountered. These drones are sent to a nearby galaxy, the Tau System. The Orokin wish to colonize the system to expand their territory.

260 OE - The **Zariman Ten-Zero**, a colony ship, is sent as the vanguard of the Orokin colonization fleet. However, the ship suffers complications during their void jump and is stranded in the sub-dimensional space known as the **Void**. The ship is presumed lost.

255 OE - The terraforming drones, having gained artificial intelligence, rebel against their creators. Calling themselves the **Sentients**, the drones return to the Origin System and attack Orokin settlements. This event starts the Orokin - Sentient War. It is also known as "The Great War".

240 OE - The Orokin creates a biological weapon that could defeat the Sentients. The Infested manage to drive back the Sentients for a short time. However, in 165 OE, the Orokin lose control and the Infestation wreaks havoc.

230 to 185 OE - As the war continues, the Sentients slowly recover from the Infested attack and recapture Orokin territory. By 160 OE, the Empire had only three planets left: Earth, Venus and Mercury.

170 OE - The Zariman Ten-Zero reemerges from the Void. The only survivors found are the children, who have gained extraordinary powers due their exposure to the Void. However, they are seen as freaks by the general populace. The Orokin leadership decided to experiment on them, hoping their powers could defeat the Sentients.

160 OE - After several failed experiments, the Orokin researcher **Margulis** had found a permanent solution. She creates the **Transference** process to help the Tenno control their powers. By transferring the Tenno's consciousness into the Warframe, they can control their Void powers with ease. The connection is maintained through the Somatic Link. The Tenno are placed in cryopods and sent to the Reservoir, a secure place in the Moon.

154 OE - The Orokin leaders, the Seven Emperors, initiate the Warframe Program. They plan to use the Tenno as warriors to defeat the Sentients once and for all. Margulis pleads with the Emperors not to use the Tenno. In the end, she refuses to hand over her notes on the Transference project. For her defiance, she is charged with apostasy and is executed.

150 OE - The Tenno are trained in warfare schools. On completion, they are armed with their weapons and sent to recapture lost territory.

145 to 120 OE - The Sentients are driven back to the Tau System. In desperation, the Sentient Hunhow makes a deal with Ballas, an Orokin Executor and the Warframe Program director. Ballas defects the Sentients by revealing the Tenno's weakness. In exchange, Hunhow sends his daughter, **Natah**, to infiltrate the Orokin Empire and destroy the Tenno. Ballas gives her some of Margulis's DNA to use.

111 OE - All Sentient fighters are either destroyed, sealed or driven out of the Origin System. Hunhow makes his last stand on Uranus, where he is sealed. The Tenno then turn their attention to the rampant Infestation. They are exterminated with extreme prejudice. Meanwhile, Ballas enters cryosleep at an unknown location.

100 OE - A grand ceremony is held at the Mercury Junction to commemorate the end of the Great War. Near the end of the ceremony, the Tenno, disgusted with Orokin leadership, launch a surprise attack. All Orokin officials are massacred. There are very few survivors. With no leaders, the Orokin Empire falls.

99 to 2 OE - It is known as the Cataclysm. There are mass insurrections everywhere in the system. Natah, taking pity on the Tenno, hides the Moon in the Void. She also scatters their Warframes throughout the system. She suppresses her former personality with Margulis's memories. She is now known as the Lotus

400 POE - The Lotus reawakens the Tenno. In this new era, four factions have been born from the ashes of the Empire. The Corpus, a technology monopoly run by its Board of Directors, is scavenging for any surviving Orokin technology. They hope to reverse engineer them for and sell them for profit. The Grineer Empire, a massive army of disease-ridden clones, are trying to conquer the system for themselves. The Infested have returned, though in low numbers. Finally, the remnants of the Orokin. These are corrupted drones that have entered an Orokin Tower in the Void.

515 POE - The Grineer unseal Hunhow by accident during one of their excavations on Uranus. The Sentient leader rallies his brethren and they invade the System in small numbers. He returns to the Tau System to heal his wounds.

618 POE - Ballas resurfaces and takes the Lotus. In the process, he removes Margulis's memories, allowing Natah's personality to return. In revenge, the Tenno fatally wound Ballas on the Moon. However, he is rescued by Natah in her Sentient form. Natah returns to the Tau System with Ballas.

The current year is POE 619.

* * *

Author Section

I decided to make this timeline for two reasons:

1\. To educate new readers. I based the events on two sources: the main story missions and the operations. These events are the foundation for this story and may be referred to in later chapters.

2\. To give the story a "sense of direction". Digital Extremes, the developers of Warframe, did not give the players explicit dates on when events occurred. Hence, I tried my best to give certain events a date.

Before I end this section, a word of caution: The crossover will occur at the end of the first arc. Right now, the arc is focused in the Warframe Universe.

I look forward to your comments and I hope you enjoy this story.

Thank you!

\- The Phantom Traveler


	2. Discovery

Chapter 2: Discovery

Origin System, 617 POE

Earth, Oro Sector

Grineer Occupation Command Center

* * *

"Your Excellency, there is a report from one of the scouts." Councilor Vay Hek turned his head to face the Grineer messenger. He had just left a teleconference with the Queens and was seething with anger. The Worm Queen was dissatisfied with his latest attempt to destroy the Tenno. He had hoped to poison the Infested "boil" that had landed in the Plains of Eidolon and infect the native Ostrons. Once the Ostrons had died, he would claim the entire Plains for the Grineer Empire. However, it was thwarted by the Tenno. They raided his supply depots and managed to destroy the "boil" before he could poison it.

In addition, Grineer operations were in a constant mess and the leadership was under duress. Hek heard the rumors of Tyl Regor trying to increase production of his so-called "tubemen". Regor lacked the necessary resources to continue his program and he did not reach the quota set by the Queens. General Sargas Ruk was dealing with incursions in Saturn as Tenno cells raid his sectors for resources. Finally, there was the constant nagging for more Kuva. The Queen had issued a system-wide order to extract as much as Kuva as possible. She was stockpiling them to revive her sister, the Elder Queen, after the Tenno disrupted the Continuity ritual.

"If it is another Tenno cell incursion, I might just go insane", muttered Vay Hek under his breath. He slowly walked over to his make-shift desk and barked at the messenger, "Bring him in". "At once, Sir", said the messenger. He beckoned the scout, who had been waiting outside. The scout, a Drahk Master, gave a salute and recited his report to the Councilor.

"My scout unit has found an object that might interest you. We have identified it as an Orokin artifact. However, we are unable to ascertain its functions."

Bay Hek straightened his powerful, yet decaying Terra Frame body. He was piqued by the fact it was an Orokin artifact. "What do you mean, it's functions?".

The Master's brows furrowed in confusion. "Well, we don't know it's function because of its appearance. It is highly unusual, and it does not match any descriptions in our Orokin database." He produced a small, rectangular data pad from his chest pocket and placed it on the desk. The data pad's screen came to life and a holographic image appeared. Now, Vay Hek had seen numerous Orokin artifacts before. He had used the Void Keys before to open impenetrable defenses left behind by the Orokin. But the structure presented before him was unlike anything he had seen before.

The artifact in question was a huge pyramid surrounded by five pillars. Inscriptions had been carved near the pyramid's base. However, it was not in the flowing calligraphy. Instead, it was a chicken-scratch version of the Orokin inscription. It was still readable, yet it felt like a warning to Vay Hek. The most disturbing feature was the pyramid itself. At the base, it had the traditional colors, stark white and bright gold. As his eyes went up, the colors slowly transitioned to complete black and blood red. He also noticed the conical tip. Whatever it was, it had to be secured immediately, regardless of any unknown risks.

"What about the interior, Master?" inquired Vay Hek. "We just sent the drones in, Sir. They will complete the interior mapping in a few hours." Vay Hek sighed and licked his dry lips. As much as he wanted too, he could not send his entire force to the pyramid immediately. To do so would be folly. The Tenno would be alerted and attempt to stop him at any cost. He would need to slowly push his forces to the pyramid. He also needed researchers to interpret and translate the inscriptions. He nodded to himself and dismissed the Drahk Master. There was no doubt this was an extremely vital asset for the Empire. After all, this was their last chance for unity within the Grineer ranks.

* * *

To his surprise, the united effort to uncover the Orokin artifact went well. The inscriptions had been translated into the Grineer language and researchers had explored the depths of the pyramid. Vay Hek looked through the research reports and compiled them into one final report. This report would be sent via carrier and directly handed to the Worm Queen herself. The pyramid, once thought to be a weapon, had a much greater purpose than they had expected.

According to the inscriptions, this was an Orokin research project that attempted to use Void energy to open a portal. This portal was meant to be used as an escape route for high-ranking Orokin officials. However, the Tenno purged the entire Orokin leadership and the pyramid remained unused. Fortunately, there was ample supply of contained Void energy canisters the Orokin left behind. The canisters were inserted into a tube that led to a feedback machine. This machine would provide an infinite amount of Void energy. The energy would be used to propel a turbine that charged a "portal cannon". This cannon was only a prototype and there was very little information on how it was constructed. Finally, the five pillars were used to stabilize the portal, as the portal would collapse and turn into a black hole. Finally, the Grineer also found some Orokin anti air installations. They had set outposts near them to protect it from any attackers.

In the back of his mind, Vay Hek had the inkling of a massive Tenno attack on the pyramid. He had been briefed from his head spymaster about some serious developments. The Tenno had found ancient blueprints regarding starships from the Orokin – Sentient War. The starships, or Railjacks, utilized Void space travel and was heavily armed. They were classified by series and categorized by type. Knowing its immense benefit as a mobile base of operations, clans began to build Railjack drydocks. These drydocks were used to construct and customize the starships before deploying for a mission. So far, they had found one type and series, the Sigma series Interceptor type. Judging from stolen schematics, it was half the size of a standard Grineer Galleon. But what terrified Vay Hek was the _speed_ and _determination_ of the Tenno. Almost every Tenno had pledged his or her meager resources to construct these starships. The spymaster estimated that they would finish building thirty Railjacks. If it sped up, the number would be doubled.

Vay Hek sent a short-burst message to his fleet captains via encrypted channels. "To all Grineer Galleons, maintain defensive posture for duration. Expect massive attack in coming days. Prepare for war." There was no doubt the Tenno had noticed the increased concentration of Grineer forces around the planet. It was only a matter of time until the Tenno deployed their Railjacks to Earth.

* * *

Earth, Strata Relay

Steel Meridian Main Enclave (Headquarters)

* * *

Cressa Tal, an ex-Grineer general, was standing in front of a communication computer.

The Steel Meridian leader was furious at herself. Of all people, she should have noticed it immediately. At first, it was just the routine request for reinforcements. Earth was rich with resources the Tenno needed for their tools and/or weapons. In addition, it was one of the few places the Tenno considered "training grounds". For example, the Lith sector was a popular place to level up weapons. After all, the Tenno just had to defend one cryopod in the circular building. With multiple entrances leading to the cryopod, they often used as kill boxes.

She had not bothered to check the requests. She had assumed they were just regular grunts. Instead, she was shocked when Grineer _scientists_ were among the reinforcements. The only time Grinner scientists were sent was if there was Orokin artifact. The large number of scientists suggested it was essential.

The spy was supposed to contact her at 1:00 pm. 40 minutes had passed and Cressa has extremely worried. If the spy was captured, she feared the worst would come swiftly. The image of her dead ex-Grineer brothers and sisters in body piles, the Iron Forge sanctuary in flames and other gruesome details invaded her mind.

A loud squawk and intermittent static interrupted her nightmare. She stabbed her finger into the com button. On the computer screen, an image of a Grineer Butcher appeared. He was clad in standard Grineer armor for the Earth forces.

"I am sorry for the delay, General. I did not mean to worry you."

"That's fine. Did you get the information we needed ?", asked Cressa

"Yes. I just sent the interior mappings and all weapon schematics to you." As he was speaking, a beep told Cressa the info had been sent.

"All right, I will corroborate the data with our Red Veil friends. Tal out" The screen flickered before changing to a new image. In the background of a giant flaming tree, stood the Red Veil leader, Cantis. Like Cressa, she too had a spy collect information. However, it was data on the AA turrets. She nodded at Cressa before speaking.

"I'm guessing you want to see our data?", Cantis inquired.

"Yes, I would. Have you sent the data to the Tenno yet?"

"Yes, you might want to send yours too." Cressa made a broadcast message to the Tenno, included her data, and sent it.

"It is done. Now, we wait. Let us hope the Tenno can accomplish this task.", spoke Cressa.


	3. Strategy

Ch 3: Strategy

* * *

Origin System, 619 POE

Clan Dojo, Somewhere near the Void

Gray Sentinels Reception Area

* * *

There were many Tenno clans in the Origin system. Each clan was unique and was distinguished by their accomplishments or other factors. For example, the Mercury Legionaries was legendary for participating in every operation. They were known to be the vanguard, leading fellow Tenno brethren into the fray of battle. Then, there was the Mist Raiders. The Raiders were well-known for being treasure hunters and experts in Orokin Vaults. It is often said that having a Raider with you would bring numerous amounts of loot from the Vault.

However, there was conflict between the clans. Grudges against each other had begun a long time ago.

These grudges were born during the Gradivus Dilemma. The dilemma began as a territorial dispute. The Corpus had discovered a cache of Tenno in cryosleep on Sedna, Saturn. According to the reports, it was the largest batch they had found. The Grineer Relations representative, Alad V, attempted to exploit them for his secret weapon project, the Zanuka Program. His greed was a "breach of trust" between two factions. General Sargas Ruk demanded the cache to be handed over as it was found in Grineer territory. Alad refused and transferred the cache to his private research facility. When the Grineer Queens found out, they were outraged and sent Ruk to conquer Mercury. The Corpus responded in kind by setting up defenses and reinforcing key Corpus installations on the Gradivus sector.

Both factions attempted to sway the Tenno to join their cause by offering them valuable weapons. In the end, the Grineer fleet wiped out the entire Corpus defense network. Embarrassed by this defeat, the Board of Directors voted out Alad V and replaced him with Frohd Bek, Alad's rival.

In the aftermath of the Dilemma, the Dark Sectors were found and clans attempted to control them. The Dark Sector were uncharted places in the Void that held exotic rewards. To access the Sector, a clan needed a Solar Rail and establish an outpost. However, there were only twelve Dark Sectors. Countless conflicts began, with clans trying to become the dominant victor for the Dark Sector. In the end, an armistice ended the conflicts. However, the clans still had disagreements with one another.

Thankfully, there was a clan that was skilled in negotiation. They also specialize in two other occupations: peacekeeping and artifact recovery. It was said that, in addition to Orokin artifacts, they had also found _pre-Orokin_ artifacts, such as literature and other items.

The clan was named the Gray Sentinels. Composed of first-generation Tenno, they were respected by their peers. These were the first people to rise from their cryopods and fight for the Lotus. They had seen firsthand combat against the enemy factions, from the zealous Corpus to the corrupted minions of the dissolved Orokin Empire. As the clan grew, some of the younger generations were accepted.

Now, the clan's Warlord, an Oberon Prime Warframe, was waiting. This Warframe had colors of a regular Oberon Warframe. On his chest was a blue Mastery Symbol, signifying him as a Tiger. His guest would be arriving within minutes and he had no idea how to greet him. It had been a long time since he spoke to him. Their last conversation took place after Operation Eyes of Blight. He still remembered the guest's request and how much it shocked him.

"To be out for so long, I hope he isn't rusty" mused Lykaios. The Oberon Prime, armed with a dragon nikana and a Lex pistol, blinked when he saw his guest. His guest was a Rhino Warframe. Apparently, he had the colors of an Excalibur Umbra. On his chest was his Mastery Symbol, a yellow Gold Seeker. The Rhino greeted Lykaios with a deep bow. Lykaios returned the greeting with a short bow.

"It has been quite a while since we last spoke,'' said Lykaios. "Indeed. Tell me, how has the clan been during the last five years?", inquired the Rhino. Lykaios motioned the Rhino to follow him. "It would be better if I told you on the way, Roscoe". Roscoe shrugged his shoulders and followed Lykaios.

"First of all, the clan got promoted. Currently, we are ranked as a Storm Clan. We have sixty members in total: forty first gens, ten second gens, five third gens, and five fourth gens. Secondly, we expanded the Dojo to include a Railjack Drydock. We just finished constructing our third Railjack."

The door hissed and sild open as the two Tenno entered the drydock. Roscoe was impressed by the size of the Railjack. Its gleaming white hull shone like a beacon. Its communication array still had a bit of paint drying up.

Lykaios turned toward Roscoe and clasped his hands behind his back. He wasn't sure how Roscoe would react, but he hoped it would go well. If not, he would be back at square one for the fourth time. "Since your temporary _retirement_, I have been looking for someone to be the captain of this Railjack. I believe you are the perfect candidate for this job."

Roscoe stared for a moment, then immediately put his hands up in protest. "No. No, no, no, no. Why me? Why not –" Lykaios sighed in frustration and interrupted him. "Roscoe, you been out of action for _five_ years. Don't you think it's time you got back in the field? I know how you feel about – "

"It hasn't been the same since Vesper Relay, Lykaios. You _**know**_ I feel about that incident." Both Tenno knew what they were referring to. During Operation Eyes of Blight, the Grey Sentinels were tasked with defending Vesper Relay at Venus. These Relays acted as space hubs for the Tenno and their allies. Vesper Relay was a strategic site since it was close to Mercury. If the Relay at Venus was destroyed, the Grineer's Balor Formorians would be unhindered by any obstacles.

"Look, what happened in the past stays in the past. Right now, we have more pressing issues to deal with." snapped Lykaios. He went to a nearby terminal, pressed a few buttons on the glyph-like keyboard, and displayed the info on a projector.

"Steel Meridian intelligence agents reported a massive concentration of Grineer forces on Earth. It seems they are protecting some sort of Orokin artifact. They have also reported anti air turrets have been found nearby. Intercepted transmissions suggest they are activating the artifact soon. Red Veil infiltrators have given us everything they have on the pyramid structure."

Roscoe nodded in agreement. "I noticed that. It was weird because on the radio, almost every Tenno incursion has failed lately in the Earth Sectors. Everybody has been relying on the drones to farm resources for them."

The intel summary switched to a two-dimensional chart, which displayed the Grinner fleet in real-time. "Nearly every Grineer Galleon is here and are in a defensive blockade position. Orbiters won't get past the defense easily. That's why we are assembling a fleet. Currently, we have sixty ships ready go now."

"The fleet will be divided into four groups: battle group (BG) 1, BG 2, BG 3 and Command Group (CG). Additionally, we have support in the form of Orbiters. The plan is to have the Orbiters infiltrate and destroy the Galleons from the inside out by overloading the core reactors. Once that is done, BG 1 will deal with the stragglers. Meanwhile, BG 2 and 3 will descend to the Earth's surface. BG 2 will deal with the AA turrets and BG 3 will attack the pyramid. CG will stay in the rear to provide updates as necessary."

"Once again, are you willing to take up this task, Roscoe?" Roscoe sighed and nodded his head. "I will do it,'' he said. Lykaios smiled and handed a data pad to him. "I think you will see some familiar faces in your new cell."

Roscoe swiped through the digital files as he walked back to his Orbiter.

His second in command/CQB expert and pilot was Jack, a fellow first gen Tenno. Roscoe had met him during Operation Gate Crash. At the time, Jack was known to have weak stamina and was nearly captured by the Grineer. Ever since then, he owed a debt to Roscoe for saving him. His primary Warframe was a Frost Prime, armed with a Corinth shotgun, a Sicarus Prime pistol and Dual Zoren axes.

Roscoe's first soldier was a third gen Tenno named Carson. He was the demolition/heavy arms expert for the team. Word on the radio network was he lasted a long time on the Survival mission on the Belenus sector in the Void. He was extracted from the place after wave seventy. It was unheard of for a single Tenno to survive that long. Hence, he was famous for being a "one-man army". His primary Warframe was a Chroma, armed with a Gorgon Wraith machine gun, an Angstrum launcher pistol and the two-handed Gram claymore.

Roscoe's second soldier was a fourth gen Tenno named Rylan. He was responsible for repairing the Railjack and dealing with unwanted intruders. He was recruited to the Grey Sentinels due his skills as a sword-and-shield (SnS) user. Not many Tenno preferred to use SnS as a main melee weapon. His primary Warframe was Revenant, armed with an Attica crossbow, Castana throwing knives and a Sigma & Octantis sword and shield.

Finally, there was Roscoe himself. He was the team leader/Railjack captain. His place would be at the Command Center, where he controlled the main functions of the starship. His main weapon was a Tiberon rifle, dual Vasto revolvers and a Dragon nikana sword.

All in all, it was a typical cell formation. In terms of ground combat, they were fine. Carson could lay down suppressive fire while Rylan disposed the enemy at long distances. Fred could use crowd control tactics to cause chaos in the enemy ranks. Finally, Roscoe would flank the enemy during the ensuing battle.

As for Railjack operations, Roscoe had no idea how it would go. During his time on the Zariman Ten-Zero, he recalled that Fred was always on the pilot simulator. Hopefully, it would help them in space battles.

Five days later, he would return to this place to meet his team members. After being debriefed, they would depart from the drydock to meet up with the fleet. Then, Operation White Comet would begin.


	4. Departure

Ch 4: Farewell & Departure

* * *

Origin System, 619 POE

Clan Dojo, Somewhere near the Void

Gray Sentinels Railjack Drydock

* * *

A Revenant Warframe, still fresh in its default colors, entered the drydock. On his right, he could see some cranes, lifting supply boxes to be placed in the storage container. On the left, there was a boarding ramp, which led to a rectangular, makeshift platform. As the Revenant climbed the ramp, he could hear some voices. At the top, he was greeted by a Chroma, covered in blue and red colors. On his back, the Chroma wore a green Yomo Syandana. He extended his hand to greet the Revenant.

"About time you got here, dude. We were about to leave without you." admonished the Chroma.

"I'm sorry", spoke the Revenant as he hastily bowed in apology, "I was trying to get to the Dojo as fast as possible. I just came from Sedna, Saturn."

"Sedna, huh? Trying to level up your weapons before leaving?"

"Yes, sir. Again, I'm sorry for being late."

The Chroma shrugged and went a large circular table. The Revenant followed him. At the table, three other Warframes were hunched over a holographic image of a Grineer Galleon ship. The Frost Prime and the Oberon Prime seemed to be in an enthusiastic discussion, pointing out the shield capacity and the number of laser cannons. Meanwhile, the Rhino was scrolling through his files on a data pad.

"Before we start the briefing, how about some introductions?" Lykaios casually spoke, before pointing at the Revenant.

The Revenant swallowed his throat before he introduced himself. "My name is Rylan. I use the Revenant Warframe primarily. I will be your Railjack engineer."

Next, the Chroma Warframe spoke. "The name's Carson. As a Chroma user, I'm pretty much a one-man army. I will be in charge of heavy weapons."

The Frost Prime coughed before he spoke. " Hi, my name is Jack. As you can see, I'm a Frost Prime user. I will be your pilot."

Finally, the Rhino spoke. " My name is Roscoe. I am your cell/squad leader. I'm a Rhino user. In addition, I am the captain of this Railjack starship."

With introductions out of the way, the briefing began. Lykaios reiterated the information given five days earlier. So far, there was no change in enemy tactics.

"Now, before I take any questions, I thought I might give you _this_." He waved his hand towards four black folders on the table. On each cover, engraved in the gold symbol of the Lotus. Below the symbol, there were Orokin inscriptions in large text. Lykaios held one of the folders in his left hand into the air.

"In case you are sucked into the portal and make first contact, I provided some documents that might aid you. The majority of the folder contains copies of pre-Orokin documents. I won't name the entire content in the folder, but an example would be the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. A digital copy has also been sent to your data pads, if you lose the folder."

"On the cover, I put the symbol of the Lotus. Most people would probably recognize it as an important symbol. The inscription below will have the following format:

Homeworld: Origin System

Current Year: 619 POE (Post Orokin Era)

Origin System Ship (OSS) PLANTAGENET

Built at Gray Sentinel Railjack Drydock

Name

Warframe

Lykaios handed each Tenno their respective folder. "So, any questions?", he asked. At first, everyone was looking through their folders. Rylan was admiring the metallic, gunmetal cover. Carson was tossing the folder up into the air, wondering how heavy it was. Jack was tracing the inscriptions with his finger and Roscoe was skimming through the folder.

Finally, a hand raised into the air. "Yes, Roscoe?", said Lykaios. "Any standing orders we to know?", ask Roscoe. Lykaios rubbed at one of his horns before answering. "Technically, there is no _official_ standing order. Unofficially, the rule is simple: just cooperate with them, whether they be aliens or humans."

Roscoe nodded. "Well, then we are heading out now." Roscoe, Jack and Carson leapt off the platform and landed on the drydock floor with ease. Rylan was about to join them, when he stopped by an outstretched hand. He turned toward Lykaios in confusion. "I almost forgot!"exclaimed the Warlord. He placed his hand underneath the table and pulled out the object. Rylan stared in amazement as he given the object.

"Isn't this -"

"Yes, it's a Syandana. Specifically, the Asa Syandana."

Syandanas were cosmetic scarfs or cloaks made out of Orokin synthetic thread. Often, Tenno would wear them on their backs. In particular, this Syandana produced a long trail of downward-pointing chevrons, made out of energy.

"It's a long-held tradition for seniors to give juniors a Syandana as a gift. Usually, juniors are given Syandanas after spending five years in a clan. Normally, I would give you your Syandana in a formal ceremony. However, we don't have the luxury of time."

"It's beautiful. Thank you so much. It must have been expensive." Rylan bowed to Lykaios. Lykaios waved his hand. "Please, I have a whole _room _of Syndanas. It's not much, really. I buy in bulk quantities, after all."

"Oi, hurry it up! Ordis just finish his calibrations. We're leaving now!" shouted Carson.

"I'm coming, hold up!" Rylan equipped the Syandana scarf and propelled himself toward one of the Railjack's doors. After entering, he made his way to the bridge. Roscoe stood in front of the command center. "Ordis, are we good?" A cheerful voice, with some static background echoed inside the ship. "Yes, Operators. Calibrations have finished - ARE FREAKING DONE - and Railjack is operational!"

Outside, the Railjack's void engines roared loudly as power circulated through the ship.

"All right, initializing systems!" The command center's screen flashed to life in pale yellow. Then, its HUD popped up. Roscoe called off the status of the three main systems as Carson and Rylan performed last minute checks.

"Subsystem status (Life Support, Hull and Reactor) are all good. Power is at optimal setting. Shields are full. Plantagenet is ready for launch, pilot"

"Yes, sir. Backing out now." Jack, slowly pulling back the acceleration stick, reversed the ship. It seemed to be an agonizingly long process, despite taking ten minutes. Just as the nose was cleared of the drydock, Jack turned the ship toward its starboard side.

"All clear, sir. By the way, we got incoming transmission." "Patching it through, Captain" Lykaios's face appeared on the view monitor.

"Well, I am here to bid you farewell. I don't know whether you will survive the battle and I hope you do. If you don't, it was an honor knowing you." The Plantagenet's crew could tell the warlord was starting to choke on his words.

"Even if we go missing, just remember: a Tenno doesn't die easily. Plantagenet, over and out." spoke Roscoe. He cut the transmission before Lykaios could say anything.

As the Railjack began her maiden voyage, Jack turned towards Roscoe. "Sure that was a good idea? Seems kinda rude."

"I would rather not dwell on sentimental memories, Jack. Prepare a void jump"

As the void engines started the void jump process, Jack finally asked the question that every pilot asks before a mission. "So, what is our destination?"

Roscoe coughed and spoke, just as the void engines tore open a hole between real space and Void space.

"Kronia Relay, Saturn."

* * *

Author's Section

And, so, the Plantagenet begins her journey to join the rest of the fleet. So far, I'm having fun writing this story. Now, time to answer some questions

To gh0st3: I understand your concern for the spoiler story. This story will only include the main story missions and etc. BEFORE the New War. If I include the New War, it will be mentioned in a potential sequel. (On a personal note: I'm think the New War _might_ launch next year. Currently, they are focused the Railjack update and will be featured at this year's TennoCon.)

To RevengeS197: Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy it.

Also, if you have an idea for Tenno ship names or you want me to change the current ship prefix (OSS) to something else, PM me and let me know.

As always, I look forward to reading your comments and answering your questions.

\- The Phantom Traveler


	5. Battle

Ch.5: Battle

* * *

Origin System, 619 POE

Kronia Relay, Saturn

OSS 1st Fleet Temporary HQ

* * *

"Void echoes detected. Echolocation scan show Railjack ship is in void jump," said the echolocation officer. He turned toward the relay manager, who was in front of a console. The manager looked up and asked, "ETA?" "Four minutes, sir" The manager tapped his communication earpiece. "The last Railjack has arrived." A deep, baritone voice answered him. "About time. I just boarded the flagship."

On the OSS Paradigm, Teshin Dax stood near the bridge. He had an air of calmness around him. As a Dax soldier, he had commanded many units, from urban warfare units to large space fleets. This operation would be no different to any other mission.

On the main screen, a void jump wormhole appeared, ripping open the delicate fabric of real-space. A Railjack exited the wormhole and the wormhole collapsed, sealing the hole open.

A pinging noise alerted Teshin that the Railjack was hailing them.

"This is the Paradigm, identify yourself." "This is the Plantagenet's Captain speaking. We just arrived from our clan Dojo." A quick peek at the Plantagenet's travel history confirmed the Captain's statement.

"All right. Follow me. We are going to Tethys to join the fleet." Tethys was one of Saturn's sixty-two moons. It had the lowest density out of all the moons. Preliminary scans suggested the moon was composed mostly of ice, with a small fraction of it being rock. It was chosen due to its proximity to Saturn's magnetosphere. Since the magnetosphere was filled with plasma, it could interfere with anyone trying to perform a deep scan.

As the two starships cruised along Tethys's orbit, Jack could see small silver dots. As they got closer, the dot's outline became larger and became recognizable. Sixty Railjacks were waiting for them, ready to void-jump at a moment's notice.

"Any updates, Teshin? The Orbiters should have finished their mission by now." asked Roscoe. "They are almost done. Just forty more Galleons left. Once they are finished, we will simultaneously void-jump to Earth."

"For now, introduce yourself to your fellow Railjacks. I will be heading to the command group." The flagship began to turn away as it cruised toward the rear. Minutes later, the Plantagenet drifted toward its battle group. "Captain, I have connected you to a private com group," chimed Ordis. The main screen flashed to life with a buzz of static.

On the screen, there was Cahaya, an Ivara user, She was the battle group commander and captain of the Bendahara.

"So, what did I miss?" asked Roscoe. Cahaya shrugged her shoulders. "Nothing much. We were talking about how the Operational Supply folks might handle this. The logistics infrastructure for this operation are huge. It's probably bigger than the Eyes of Blight."

What she had said was a possibility. In previous operations, it would take two or three months for the logistics team to ensure everything was accounted for. However, it took two and a half years for them to account for items due to the massive losses of the Relays.

"Since everyone is here, let's review the plan one final time."

"After the Orbiters finish their mission, they will head to the surface and engage the Grineer forces at the AA guns. Our job is to destroy the AA guns and provide aerial support. Once that is done, we will head to the pyramid and attempt to disable it. Once the pyramid is disabled or destroyed, you must evacuate the area immediately. We don't know how the portal will react, but there _will_ be extensive damage."

Roscoe nodded in agreement. No one knew the exact amount of damage the portal would have on Earth. As far as they knew, it would be a permanent scar.

"Update from the Orbiters! Looks like they couldn't get all of them." "What do you mean?', said Cahaya. She was sure the Tenno raiders could finish the job. After all, she was in charge of recruiting them.

"The Galleons started their emergency descend before the Orbiters could get to them. Twenty five ships remaining. The rest are just space debris."

"Fleet-wide transmission coming from the Paradigm. Commence void-jump now." said Ordis as he interrupted the group com.

"All right, then. We will maintain contact via radio." The group com ended with a buzz of static. In the distance, Roscoe saw the other Railjacks powering up their engines. "Void jump commencing in 3… 2… 1" A beam of Void energy shot out into the darkness of space. Slowly, but steadily, a hole slowly opened. Seconds later, the Railjack was pulled through it.

* * *

On Earth, things weren't going well for Vay Hek. Although his forces had successfully opened and stabilized the portal, it was the least of his concerns. His fleet had barely survived, his outposts were under siege and there was no more reinforcements. If he failed, he would lose more than his beloved title. Rather, he would be publicly executed in the desert coliseum of Rathuum for his failure. His death would be a grim reminder that failure was not tolerated.

"Damn it all!", he howled. His scream of rage echoed through the forest. He was so close to accomplishing his goal. The only problem was the Tenno. Of course, he had expected them to attack him and his fleet. Yet, he had underestimated their ferocity. For the past five days, all he heard on the com channels was countless screams.

"AA guns have activated, General." He turned around to see a messenger, who was waiting outside his tent.

"What is their ETA?" "Five minutes. Our satellite detected massive Void echoes earlier. It seems a lot of ships coming this way."

"And our defenses? I'm sure the Tenno whittling them down little by little." "Yes, the Marine forces have been decimated. Our final line of defense is the Special Forces."

"Of course, the Special Forces. I completely forgot about them." mused Vay Hek. Perhaps, the battle hasn't been lost. The Tenno ground force would find them a bit _problematic_ to deal with.

If the normal Grinner soldier seemed to be a piece of cake, then what the Tenno would face could only be described as rabid beasts.

Everything was going according to plan. They had landed on the surface and was pushing the Grineer forces back. The advance forces, comprised entirely of Nekros Warframes, laid waste to their foes as they rushed toward the AA guns. Hayden, a cell leader, had been converting fallen Grineer bodies into orbs. By using his "Desecrate" ability, he was able to convert dead bodies into health or energy orbs. Numerous blue and red orbs appeared from the bodies. He would need them if there was an ambush.

In the distance, he could see the AA gun. Intel had stated the Grineer had established outposts to defend it. Surrounded by a circular, concrete wall and covered with electric barbwire, the only entrance to the outpost was a six-feet tall energy barrier gate. Thankfully, there were some partially destroyed buildings up ahead. Hayden and his cell entered one of the buildings. Almost immediately, he heard a small chuckle. The Nekros raised his fist in the air and froze.

Suddenly, the entire place was engulfed in a bright white flash. Still blinded, Hayden was still blinking when a hail of bullets pelleted him. The energy shield was still holding and the Nekros could see Manics rushing toward him. Behind them, was a line of Nox soldiers, their faces disfigured from the poisonous gas their suits contained. The line stopped and they began firing blobs of poisonous slime overhead.

Rallying his cell-mates, he ran back to where the orbs were. The four Nekros placed their hands above the dead bodies. Tendrils of black energy rose and coalesced to form the vestige of the fallen soldiers.

Meanwhile, a lance of golden light erupted from the AA gun's barrel. It shot through the sky and collided into an energy shield.

"Full power to shields, now!" The laser's impact reverberated through the Railjack. From the starboard side, Rylan could see other ships getting hit by the laser. Thankfully, everyone had diverted power to their shields after exiting the void-jump. "Shield at 26%, I'm starting the descent now." "Hold on to something. It's gonna be choppy.",shouted Jack. Angling the Railjack's nose down, the Plantagenet began its descent. The others followed behind. Golden lances of plasma streaked passed the ships as they entered the atmosphere. Finally, they broke through the clouds.

Carson crouched near the radio, one hand holding a com earpiece and the other turning knobs, cycling through different frequencies. On every frequency, the ground forces were requesting backup. Manics overran their positions while Nox soldiers bombarded them from afar.

Meanwhile, the rest of the fleet had separated into their groups. The first and second group sped toward the Galleons. Finally, the third group was flying toward the turrets. The command group had taken shelter behind the Moon and was monitoring the situation. Although there were only three turrets, each of them had numerous layers of armor. It would take a lot of Helix missiles to wear it down and there was very little time left. In the end, they had to destroy the barrel instead. With the barrel gone, the turret would shut down automatically.

The pillars' tips were glowing. Through his scanner, Rylan could see the heat waves emanating from it. "Rylan, get on the bottom turret. It's time we supported our friends below.", ordered Roscoe. Without a word, the Revenant slid toward the console for the bottom turret. The mechanical clamps latched on the bottom of his spine before locking it. Then, it slid down, pushing Rylan toward the turret controls. He grasped the controls aimed down his holographic sights. In the distance, he could see a squad of Nekros being overwhelmed. He pulled the trigger, watching the Manics and Nox soldiers become shredded corpses from the bullets. "All done, here. Launch the Helix missiles, Jack"

From his seat, Jack activated the Helix missiles. A cluster of red missiles launched from their pods and flew toward the energy barrier. An explosion was heard as the barrier crumbled. The rest of the missiles hit random objects. He flew toward the outpost and slowly rotated the ship. Four more ships followed and hovered above different sections of the outpost. As he did so, all the turrets began firing, killing any unlucky soldiers caught outside. The other ships began to do the same.

After demolishing the entire outpost, the five ships rose above the AA gun's barrel and unleashed their entire arsenal. Helix missiles crashed into white armor. Turrets' bullets tore chewed through the barrel's armor like papier-mache. Finally, after exhausting their primary weapons, Roscoe diverted all power into the weapons. This was their last chance. "Push the ship closer, Jack" "All right, whatever you say."

With a mighty roar, Rylan watched as the bottom turret carved a hole into the armor. "Did it go through, Rylan?", asked Roscoe. "Yeah, it did. But I'm not sure if it worked." The barrel was still attached. Then, a groan could be heard as the barrel started to fall. In slow motion, the barrel fell toward the ground. A "thu-wump" echoed through the forest as the barrel hit the ground. Two more "thu-wump" could be heard in the distance.

The five ships flew toward the pillars and rejoined their battle group. The first and second battle groups were attacking the pyramid, while the ground forces were fighting their toward the control center. In space, the command group came out of the Moon's shadow and raced toward Earth.


	6. Protocol BLACKOUT

Ch.6: Protocol BLACKOUT

Origin System, 619 POE

Earth, Unknown Sector

Orokin Pyramid

"Well, will ya look at that,'' murmured Jack. "What do you mean?", asked Roscoe. "I mean the portal. It's freakin' huge! And the fact it's so close to the surface…what the hell were the Orokin thinking?", Jack shook his head. It was true the portal was extremely close to the surface. The Plantagenet's crew could see debris and bodies floating toward the portal. If they weren't careful, they too would be sucked into the portal.

"Ordis, what's the status of the portal?", asked Roscoe. "Sir, it appears the wormhole is stable. The event horizon has a radius of 80 meters. If you do get sucked into it, do not attempt to get out. The gravity in the event horizon will tear the ship apart. It would be best if you maximized the shields to full power."

"Duly noted, Ordis", said the captain. Roscoe sighed and leaned over the command center. He had been nervous throughout the operation. Carson walked over and laid his hand on his shoulder. "Take a nap. You been at it for a whole day." "I will, when this is over." The Rhino stretched his stiff arms before he slapped himself.

Grineer AA guns shot bursts of flak at the Railjacks passing by. Although it whittled down the shields, the flak did little damage to the hull. Those that noticed the AA gun shot at them, causing the guns to go up in flames.

Meanwhile, the Tenno ground forces had stormed the defenses and was at the pillars, hoping to find a way to either disable or destroy them. So far, the disabling option wasn't working. Even after destroying the reserve power supplies, the pillars continued to stabilize the portal.

The Railjack fleet had launched their Helix missiles, but the heat waves caused them to explode prematurely. If any of the Railjacks was within 290 feet of the pillars, the heat waves would scorch its armor. So far, nothing was happening.

"What if we tried to overload it?", asked Carson. Everybody on the Plantagenet turned their heads toward him. "I mean, we already destroyed its reserve power source, yet its still functioning. Plus, take a look at this diagram." On the diagram, it showed two-dimensional images of the Plantagenet and the pillar. Two energy bars were placed under the images. "As we get closer to the pillar, our shield's energy decrease and the pillar's energy increases. We have to take the risk, even if our ship gets scorched." Roscoe scratched his head. It was worth a try, but the armor would ruined or even irreparable.

"Ok. I will inform the entire battle group of our plan." Silently, he hoped they were willing to go through with the plan. Everybody was exhausted and no one wanted to make a mistake.

Moments later, the fifteen Railjacks of the third battle group surrounded the pillar. The pillar began to drain the Railjacks' shields. Scorch marks burned across their armor, turning it from stark white into obsidian black. Meanwhile, alarms began to ring throughout every ship, warning its occupants of impending danger. The pillar began to glow, transitioning from a light orange to blinding white. Cracks formed on the pillar. With a resounding explosion, the pillar shattered. The shockwaves pushed the Railjacks away from each other, causing them to spin out of control.

Jack shut his eyes for a second and waited until the ship slowed down. Then, he flew toward pyramid. In the bottom turret, Rylan watched as the ground forces evacuated and fled for the safety of outer space. The mechanical clamps lifted him from the turret and back on the bridge. Roscoe was still at the command center, listening to the radio for updates. Carson was in the back of the ship in the engine room, monitoring for any fluctuations.

Meanwhile, three other pillars had been destroyed. The last pillar was still standing when a Grineer transmission interrupted the Tenno. On the main screen was Vay Hek. Evidently, he had seen better days. There was blood trickling down his face. "I … still have… one more trick...left... you Tenno scum.`` , he spoke hoarsely. Roscoe chuckled, grinning at the defeated general. What weapon could he possibly have left? His forces were gone, his fleet was eradicated and his pride was wounded.

The transmission was cut off when the last pillar blew up. Everybody sighed in relief. It was over and everyone could go home. As the ships began to leave, Jack saw a strange blip on his radar. Curious, he turned the ship around and watched a round object fly onto the air. Following it, he hovered the ship and saw electricity crackling from the ball. The Frost Prime felt a surge of panic and immediately turned the ship as fast as possible. It was too late. The EMP charge pulsated through the air just as the ship was at the edge of the portal's event horizon. "Systems failing. Systems failing. Rerouting auxiliary power to engine."

At this time, Roscoe and his crew were terrified. The worst-case scenario had happened to them. They were caught in the event horizon and could not escape. Any attempts to do so was futile.

"Ordis, activate Protocol BLACKOUT"

"Yes, Operator. BLACKOUT is now in effect."

Ten seconds later, all four Warframes went limp, as if a puppeteer had cut their strings loose. The sound of consoles being shut down echoed through the ship. Only the lights remained as Ordis began to pilot the ship.

Protocol BLACKOUT was an emergency program used in time of distress. Once activated, the following procedure would occur. First, the navigation system was set to auto-pilot. A pre-recorded radio transmission would be broadcast system-wide and the distress beacon would activate. Second, the ship Cephalon would scan the vicinity for an exit location. Once located, it would plot a route immediately. Third, all power was transferred to the engines for maximum speed. And finally, the Transference link between Warframe and the Tenno operator was severed. Once the ship had reached the exit location, all systems were restored and repairs would be carried out immediately.

The Plantagenet flew into the portal and disappeared into its singularity. Moments later, the portal collapsed and closed itself. The resulting shockwave from the collapse leveled the entire ground. The only thing that survived was the pyramid, since it was designed to withstand any catastrophe.

* * *

Throughout the system, one message played on loop until it expired a week later.

"_This is the OSS Plantagenet. We have activated Protocol BLACKOUT. Distress beacon is lit. Our coordinates are [static buzzing noises]. We will immediately reestablish contact once BLACKOUT is lifted. I repeat..." _

* * *

Author's Section:

The first arc is now over, which means it's crossover time!

Once again, I look forward to reading your comments and answering any questions

\- The Phantom Traveler


	7. First Contact

Ch.7: First Contact

* * *

Sigma Octanus System, Sigma Octanus IV

July 10, 2552 / 1500 AM

USNC Remote Scanning Outpost _Archimedes _

* * *

Ensign Henry Aguillion was bored out of his mind. The twenty-three year Parisian had been at his console for three and a half hours. The three slipstream detecting probes had returned for refueling and would sent out again. He sighed and pressed a button. The small hangar for the probes opened and the probes were launched. Seconds later, the probes went into slipspace. Henry stroked his beard. In thirty minutes, his shift would end and he could take a nice long nap.

Sleep was what kept him sane. In this cramped place, only three people could fit in here. There were often complaints about why they were assigned to this place. They didn't have any notable skills, save Henry was an Astronavigation officer assistant.

A red light began to blink intermittently. Lines of information and pictures appeared on his console. Probe No. 3, or Gamma Probe, had found something. He entered some commands into the console and directed the other probes to examine the object. As the probes sent more information, he became worried. Whatever it was, it was definitely alien. And if the outpost found anything alien, the Cole Protocol was activated.

EMERGENCY TRANSMISSION #001

Encryption Key: RED

To: UNSC FLEETCOM

From: RSO ARCHIMEDES

Subject: UNIDENTIFIED ALIEN VESSEL

Classification: RESTRICTED

At 1500 hours, Gamma probe detected an alien vessel in the Sigma Octanus system. Preliminary scans reveal that the craft is roughly half the size of a Marathon-class corvette. Its main armaments are four turrets and two missile arrays. Each array holds twelve missiles. No lifeforms were detected on the vessel. The vessel is also broadcasting a distress signal.

Signal is as followed:

"_This is the [static buzzing noises] Plantagenet. We have [static buzzing noises] Protocol BLACKOUT. Distress beacon is lit. Our coordinates are [static buzzing noises]. We will [static buzzing noises] contact once BLACKOUT [static buzzing noises]. I repeat..." _

RSO Archimedes will now activate the Cole Protocol. We are currently waiting for the UNSC Iroquois to provide transportation for us. ETA is twenty four hours.

Twenty-four hours later, the Halberd class destroyer drifted toward the alien vessel. Captain Jacob Keyes stared at the image. Unlike the dark purple colors of the Covenant ships, this vessel was bright white and had gold trimmings. He also saw the scorch marks on its front and aft side. Evidently, the ship had gone through some rough times.

"Sir, it seems a distress signal is coming from the vessel." He signaled his communication officer to hail the vessel. The officer nodded back and Keyes spoke. " Alien vessel, this is the USNC Iroquois. We have received your distress signal and sending aid. Please respond, over." There was silence on the bridge as they waited for a response. After thirty minutes, Keyes gave the go-ahead for the rescue team to deploy.

In the hangar bay, the two Pelican dropships flew out. In each Pelican were two Spartans. "Sierra One-One-Seven, do you copy?" "Sierra One-One-Seven copies", answered John-117 aka the Master Chief. The seven-foot tall superhuman soldier was in his Mjolnir Mark IV armor. Next to him was Fred-104, one of his teammates in Blue Team. "Your objective is to secure the alien vessel and recover any occupants in the ship. You will approach the vessel through a pincer attack. Proceed with caution. Over and out" Fred looked at Chief as he placed his hand back down. "So, looks like it will be an easy mission today." John responded until he slotted the magazine into his MA5C assault rifle. "Maybe" Fred shrugged his shoulders and checked over his own assault rifle.

Ten minutes later, the Pelican reached the vessel. The cargo bay doors opened and its passengers exited. The Chief noticed a hole in the ship and pointed toward it. Fred followed behind him. Using his backpack thrusters, he reached it and began to climb. Once he reached the top, he scanned the area. Blue fluorescent lights bathed the hallway in a soft blue light. Consoles were being powered up. He turned to check if Fred was with him.

"Kelly, James, do you copy?" Kelly's voice could be heard over the radio. "Copy. James is with me. He's currently checking over a body right now. He detected a faint pulse." "Copy, moving to the bridge"

As the two Spartans moved toward the bridge, John signaled Fred to stop. Just a few steps away was a lifeless body. It appeared to be a humanoid alien, with dark grey and blue skin. Beside the body was a black folder. Cautiously, the Master Chief knelt beside the body. He placed his finger underneath its enormous neck. There was a faint pulse. Another few feet away laid another lifeless body, with a black folder beside it as well. It too had a faint pulse. Hearing footsteps, both Spartans turned to see Kelly and James come from another hallway. "How many did you find?" "Just these two" "Same here. The first one was at some sort of armory station. The second body was near a console." John picked up the folder and skimmed through its content. He noticed it had a plethora of documents related to human rights. The UN charter (UNC), the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UDHR), and the Magna Carta were some examples of the documents in the folder.

"Sierra One-One-Seven to Iroqouis. We have found four occupants on the vessel. They have a faint pulse." "Copy. Bring the occupants back. We will interrogate them at the base." The four Spartans carried the bodies to the Pelican. Once inside, they were handcuffed and placed on the floor.

* * *

Sigma Octanus IV Base

July 11, 2552 / 1552 pm

* * *

Roscoe had no idea where he was. One moment, he was on the bridge of the Railjack. Now, he was in some sort of interrogation room. His hands were handcuffed to the table and his feet were chained to the concrete floor. On his right, he could see a panel of reflective glass. On the table was his black folder or "First Contact" folder.

A door opened and he saw two people enter the room. The first person was some sort of dress uniform in white. On the left side of his uniform was a name tag. Below it was a string of medals. The second man was in a black uniform. On the left side of his uniform, it had a circular badge. Inside the circle, there was a triangle and inside the triangle was a black dot. The words "Office of Naval Intelligence" could be seen below the triangle.

ONI agent Gerald Langston sat down and opened the black folder. As he looked through the folder, he noted some interesting details. Many of the documents were either founding documents or documents related to human rights. There were some obvious documents, such as the UNC.

He leafed through several pages before he looked at the prisoner that was before him. This "prisoner" was the strangest thing he had ever seen. His head was the shape of a pear. There were two white dots, which Gerald assumed was his eyes. There was also a mouth piece of some sort. On his back was a butterfly-like cape with silver linings on its edge. There was some sort of writing on it. On both shoulders, there was gray shoulder armor, styled after the shoulder armor of the samurai.

"Can you understand me?" asked Gerald. The "prisoner" answered with a German accent. "Yes"

"Well, things are off to a good start.", thought Gerald.

"What is your name?"

"My name is Roscoe."

"Where are you from?"

"The Orokin System. It is similar to the Solar System."

"Do you know where you are?"

"I am in an interrogation room, but I do not know the precise location."

"You are correct that this is an interrogation room. We are on the planet called Sigma Octanus IV in the Sigma Octanus system. Why did you come here?"

Roscoe paused, trying to remember what happened.

"My crew and I were sucked into a portal. We were caught in an EMP blast and we couldn't escape the event horizon." His memories started to come back and he remembered much clearly the events that had occurred.

"Before that happened, we were part of an operation called White Comet. We were supposed to destroy the pyramid. I don't know if we completed our task or not."

Gerald tapped the black folder. "And this…?" "We were supposed to use it in the case of first contact. Judging from your skimming earlier, you already know what those documents are."

Finally, Gerald asked a question that was on the mind of every UNSC personnel. "What are you, exactly? Is that some kind of suit?"

With a smile, Roscoe answered. "I am a Tenno, part of an ancient order of warriors. What you are seeing in front of you is a Warframe, specifically the Rhino Warframe. A Warframe is an exo armor suit. It allows us to control and manipulate our power safely. For example, we can manipulate our powers to control the elements."

Whatever a "Warframe" was, if it could benefit the UNSC, they had to attain it at all cost. "What How do you make them. Could you teach-" The sound of clenching fists interrupted Gerald's questioning. "No, I won't. I will _**never**_ tell you how to make Warframes."

Gerald was in disbelief. If what Roscoe had said was true, they needed the Warframe. "You don't understand, we have a war to win. Everyday, we are losing soldiers. We - " "Roscoe shook his head angrily. " I don't care, sir. I have no obligation to give you anything. Even if you gave me your most powerful weapon or advanced technology, it wouldn't change my mind."

The ONI agent had enough. He stood up immediately. "By the authority vested in me, I now exercise my power as an ONI agent. The prisoner must give all - " "That's enough, Agent Langston. You went overboard with your questions." Gerald tried to protest, but Captain Keyes stared him down, daring him. With an angry shout, Gerald stormed out of the room, slamming the door.

Captain Keyes sat down and sighed. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and looked at Roscoe. The Tenno was still in an angry state of mind, his clenched fists trembling. "The ONI bastard definitely hit a nerve.", Keyes silently thought. "I'm sorry for what happened. I should have seen that coming." Keyes apologized. The Rhino waved his hand non-chantly. "It's all right. I tried my best to be polite. So much for first contact…" There was silence as both men were in deep thought.

Finally, Keyes attempted to break the silence. "... So, are you part of an organization back in the Orokin System?" Roscoe looked up.

"Yes, I am. I belong to a clan called the Gray Sentinels. We are known for our negotiation skills. We are also peacekeepers and artifact hunters." Keyes was intrigued by Roscoe's answer. It was rare to see a warrior have a job such as a diplomat. "So, were always negotiating with others? You said there were other jobs as well, right?" "Well, not really. I am an arbitrator, so I have to make sure I am unbiased. In addition, I am part of the artifact recovery team. Basically, the process boils down to five steps: find the artifact, secure the artifact for extraction, examine the artifact, make a copy of it and shelve it away for eternity."

"So, why did you choose to become an artifact hunter?" "Well, I have prior experience in identifying, preserving and cataloging artifacts. Not a lot of Tenno can tell what an artifact looks like. Most of the time, they destroy it without knowing its value. That's how we got those documents in the first place." Roscoe pointed at the black folder. Keyes leafed through the pages in the folder.

"I'm impressed, Roscoe. By the way, who is the captain of your vessel?" "That would be me, sir… wait a second, did you -" Alarms began to ring just before he could finish the question. " Base Command to Captain Keyes " "What is it?" "Sir, the alien vessel just powered up and is racing toward us at full speed. Apparently, the ship's AI sounds really pissed about us taking those aliens onboard."

Keyes pulled out a key and uncuffed Roscoe. "It's the ship AI, right?" Keyes blinked twice. "You know the AI?" "Yes, our AI is sort of mentally unstable" "Well then, I better release you folks before it tries to kill us all."

Fifteen minutes later, both Captain Keyes and Roscoe were in the command center. They greeted by the sound of an insane man: "Where the hell are my operators?! If you don't give back this minute, I will blow you to smithereens, you assholes!"


	8. Exchange

Ch.8: Exchange

* * *

Sigma Octanus IV Base

July 11, 2552 / 1700 pm

* * *

"Ordis, calm down. It's me, Roscoe. Can you hear me?" The insane AI ceased his ramblings. HIs voice changed, as if he was doubting Roscoe's voice. "Captain Keyes, open a hailing transmission to my ship." Seconds later, a blue semi-transparent cube appeared on the main screen. As it spoke, the cube expanded and glowed. "Operator, it is you… where are the others?" "They are coming up to the command center, Ordis." "Understood. Now, who is in command of the forces here?

Captain Keyes stepped toward the screen. "I am. My name is Jacob Keyes, Captain of the UNSC Iroquois." "Yes, I passed by your ship when I was coming here. I must say, you armaments are advanced. However, it would be ineffective against the Sentients." Keyes was about ask the AI about the Sentients before Roscoe interrupted him. "Ah yes, it would be very ineffective against the Sentients. For now, have the Planatagenet be in a geosynchronous orbit with the planet. I will contact you later." The transmission ended with a static buzz.

Keyes looked Roscoe and made a "follow me" gesture. Outside in the hallway, Keyes peppered the Rhino with questions. As the onslaught grew, the Rhino tried to protest by trying to calm down the captain. "Look, I am willing to answer your questions. However, I will do so in a private place." Keyes nodded and pointed down the hallway. On the right was a meeting room. "Your crew members are in there."

Keyes opened the door. Inside was a long holotable. On the right side sat three other Warframes. As Keyes sat down, Roscoe introduced his teammates.

The first person was Jack, the pilot and second-in-command. He had a laid-back personality, often taking things in stride before it became serious. His Warframe, Frost Prime, was able to generate and control ice at will. Although his Warframe was in its default colors, black and gold; Keyes noted his helmet was strange. It was if there was a crown on his head.

Next to Jack was Carson, the heavy weapons expert and science officer. He was a reliable science officer, often explaining scientific concepts calmly in the heat of battle. However, he was also impulsive and trigger-happy, the latter earning him his reputation as a one-man army. His Warframe, Chroma, was able to control the elements. In his blue and red colors, he could control lightning and fire.

The last person to be introduced was Rylan, the engineer. He was considered a rookie by older Tenno despite his expertise with Void engines. His Warframe, Revenant, was able to control Sentient energy. Keyes could tell Rylan had a bad time with the ONI agent. Normally, the chin are and left arm emanate green flowing flames. Currently, the flames were flickering.

Roscoe place a hand on Rylan's shoulder. Rylan nodded and Roscoe sat down. In front of the Tenno were four rectangular data pads. Each data pad contained information on various subjects, from Earth's history to a few blueprints of UNSC weapons. Keyes intended to explain to them about their history and the ongoing war.

"Humanity began to colonize the galaxy in the late 21st century. It was a golden age of exploration and invention. After five centuries, Earth and her colonies were divided into three sectors. The Core Colonies comprised of Earth and the planets in the Solar System. The Inner Colonies comprised of several systems within one to three light-years away from Earth. Finally, the Outer Colonies are systems that are beyond three light-years away.

"Our government, the United Earth Government (UEG), was created in 2075. It was originally an offshoot of the United Nations. In the 25th century, after a series of wars, the UEG became the official government for Earth and her colonies. The various military forces were absorbed by the UEG and renamed the United Nation Space Command (UNSC)."

"For twenty-three years, we have been at war with an alien theocratic hegemony called the Covenant. They are an alliance of alien races who follow the Prophets, their leaders. They believe that humanity must be wiped out because their religion dictates it."

"Before you came, we had very few victories. Almost every engagement was a defeat against them. That's why we are so desperate for anything that can defeat the Covenant once and for all."

He pressed a button and a holographic image of an Sangheili warrior appeared. It appeared to have a similar body structure to a human. The only difference being that it was reptilian and its hands and feet were different. The most distinct feature was its jaw, which had four mandibles.

"This is a Sangheili warrior aka an Elite. They are the commanders of the Covenant battle forces. They are also the Covenant's best fighters. Usually, they are equipped with an energy field, energy sword and/or any type of energy weapon."

Keyes switched the image to show a Jiralhanae warrior. Although it looked like a real-life yeti, they were also dangerous. "The Jiralhanae or Brutes are often either soldiers or bodyguards of high-ranking Covenant officers or leaders. They are known for their strength and aggressiveness toward others."

A bird-like creature appeared next. "The Kig-Yar or Jackals. They are either snipers or shielders for infantry soldiers. Even if they are unarmed, their claws will give a nasty cut."

A small creature with a gas mask appeared next. "The Unggoy or Grunts. These little guys aren't much of a threat. Kill their CO and they will flee in fear. Otherwise, they will keep shooting and lobbing grenades at you."

Finally, an alien sitting in a hovering throne appeared. "These are the Prophets, the Covenant's leaders. Not much is known about them. But, every Covenant soldier will follow their beck and call without hesitation."

"So, any questions?" The Tenno were looking through their data pads vigorously. Jack was scrolling through the data pad, only stopping he found something interesting. Carson was searching through the weapons section, making mental notes of which weapons to procure from the armory. Rylan was looking through the engineering section, examining the blueprint of a Shaw-Fujikawa drive. Roscoe was looking through the history of the UEG.

"Can we keep the data pads, Sir?" asked Rylan. Keyes nodded. Roscoe pulled out a blank data pad and handed it to Keyes. Like the data pad given to the Tenno, this datapad contained numerous subjects about the Origin System.

"I might not sure if our technology might aid you in anyway," said Roscoe. "Most of our weapons are either replicated enemy weapons or Tenno-made weapons. The only weapons that may help are the Corpus weapons, which are energy-based. As for transportation technology, it might be possible to retrofit your Prowlers' cloaking devices with Void cloaking tech."

"Do you have any weapons we can try out? We can give you ours as an exchange gift." said Keyes. Carson immediately turned to Roscoe, unable to hide his excitement. "Go ahead, Carson."

Thirty minutes later, metal crates with weapons were stacked on top of each other and transported to the firing range. Keyes grabbed one of the crates and placed it on a wooden table. He pried it out with a crowbar and grabbed a Braton rifle. The Braton was a standard issue rifle given to all newly-"awakened" Tenno. Despite its slow rate of fire, it held an impressive forty five rounds per magazine. It's only drawback was it did not have a "punch" due to its slow rate of fire.

Next up was the Lato pistol. Like the Braton, it did not have the "punch" needed to kill an Elite. However, it was good enough to kill a Grunt or Jackal. On the other hand, the Lex pistol was the closest thing the Tenno had an M6 Magnum pistol. Its ability to penetrate armor with ease made it a contender with the Magnum.

Finally, the oddest weapon the Tenno offered was the Skana. A guardless, slim blade that was capable of slicing through armor like it was dough. Keyes logged the Skana as an immediate replacement for their combat dagger.

For the Tenno, the first weapon they tested was the MA5C bullpup assault rifle. Unlike their weapons, this rifle contained an built-in ammunition indicator and a magnetic compass. It was practically a better version of their Braton rifle. However, it was marred by a glaring problem. Since it was an automatic weapon, it was horribly inaccurate at long-distance. Despite this defect, they decided to keep it.

The M6 Magnum pistol had a strange design, yet it could penetrate armor very easily. Just one shot could stop a Grineer Shielder in its path. It was also kept by the Tenno as a replacement for the Lex pistol.

The energy sword was the most intriguing weapon the Tenno had ever seen. Its "W" - shaped hilt contained a battery that powered the plasma generation device and its magnetic stabilizers. These stabilizers were contained near the end of the hilt as small metallic balls. It could slice through anything, even machinery. Rylan made a note to extend its hilt, so it could be used as a traditional sword.

* * *

At the end of the day, a proposal draft had been created by both Captain Keyes and Roscoe. The proposal contained the following statements:

I. The Tenno would aid the United Nations Space Command in any possible way. They would be given ranks to exert their authority on any officer or enlisted soldier. In return,the Tenno were to follow the Uniform Code of Justice and any USNC or UEG law. The UNSC would be committed to finding a way to return the Tenno back to their home system.

II. The Tenno would give the USNC a limited amount of weapons, technology and information.

The following weapons given to the USNC are:

Braton assault rifle

Lato pistol

Skana sword

Dera assault rifle

Flux assault rifle

Prova baton

The following technology given to the USNC are:

Digitization technology - Used to capture potential targets

Void engine technology - Used to power a Railjack and Orbiter.

Void chameleon armor - A thin, invisible armor that can be applied to the outer layer of a ship. When activated by Void energy, the ship becomes invisible. The armor also masks the ship's energy presence, from thermal energy to slipstream space energy leakage.

The following information given to the USNC:

Basic information on the Origin System and its history.

Information on currently known enemy factions: Orokin, Corpus, Grineer, Infested, and Sentient

III. The USNC would give the Tenno a limited amount of weapons, technology and information:

The following weapons given to the Tenno are:

MA5C bullpup assault rifle

M6H pistol

M45 shotgun

SRS99C-S2 AM (Anti-material) sniper rifle

Type 1 energy sword

The following technology given to the Tenno are:

Slipstream space drive technology - Used to power USNC ships and enable FTL travel

MAC technology - Primary armament used by the USNC Navy ships and Orbital Defense Platforms.

The following information given to the Tenno:

Basic information on the Sol System and its history.

Information on Covenant enemy types: Elite, Snipers, Brutes, Grunts and Prophets


	9. Battle of Sigma Octanus - Pt1

Ch.9: Battle of Sigma Octanus - Pt.1

* * *

Sigma Octanus IV Base

July 17, 2552 / 0900 AM

* * *

The first hourly report from the RSO _Archimedes _had arrived on Keyes's desk. They had reported that there was nothing unusual. Their probes had picked up a large mass in slipstream space and thought it was a large meteorite. For some reason, Keyes thought the report was wrong. He turned on his computer and searched through the online library. He had forgotten the title of the report, but he remembered the author's name. "Fhajad-084...where is it?" The search engine brought up one article by him.

Although it was just an ordinary Astrophysics article, the article's abstract caught Keyes's eye. " _Using loop-string analysis, it can be shown that a large mass bends space in SF space more than general relativity predicts by an order of magnitude. This bending may explain how several objects clustered closely together in SF space have been reported erroneously as a single larger mass._"

After skimming through it, Keyes was right about following his gut. The Covenant ships were in a tight formation and very close to each other. It would explain why the _Archimedes _thought it was just a meteoroid and not an enemy fleet. "It's probably four frigates. Nothing we can't handle."

He stood up, left his office and headed straight to the meeting room. He had the base's commanding officer to announce an emergency meeting over the intercom.

As he waited at the head of the table, he watched the officers enter the room. Most of them were a bit nervous, unsure of how big the enemy fleet was. The two last people to enter the room were Roscoe and the Chief.

"At 0900, we received a report of a strange anomaly in slipstream space from the _Archimedes_. I believe we have an incoming enemy fleet. Judging from the anomaly's size, it may be four frigates."

"The _Iroquois _and _Plantagenet _will intercept the enemy fleet once they exit slipspace. Ground forces will defend Cote d' Azor at all costs. Set up defenses ASAP and a fallback point if they are overrunned. Reinforcements are on the way. Dismissed!"

As Roscoe jogged over to the exit, he heard a beep.

"Operator, I have landed the Railjack near the base's airfield." said Ordis

"Good, is everyone there?"

"Yes, you are the last one, Sir"

Roscoe bolted toward the Railjack and bullet jumped toward the starship. The moment he was on the ship, he felt the sounds of the engine powering up. The Railjack began to rise and with a burst of speed, flew through the atmosphere. Eventually, the ship entered the edge of the exosphere. Five hundred kilometers away was the _Iroqouis_.

The destroyer began to move toward the emptiness of space, the Railjack following close behind.

"Slipstream exit detected, Captain. They are coming out now." Keyes sat in his chair, his fingers interlaced with each other. He was hoping his prediction was right. If it was just four frigates, they could get away with minor damage. But if they were assault cruisers, the battle was already lost.

A giant purple hole appeared and out appeared four Covenant ships. Keyes prediction was slightly correct. There were two frigates, but the other two ships were different. One was a CAS- class assault carrier and the other was a CAS-class destroyer.

A CAS-class assault carrier had enough troops and transports to destroy a city within a day. The ground troops would not survive the onslaught of Covenant Elites rushing through Cote d' Azor. He opened an encrypted radio channel to the Railjack.

"Change in plans. I need you to back to Cote d' Azor ASAP. Reinforce the troops as much as you can. If possible, transport the troops to the fallback point." There was silence before Roscoe replied.

"Actually, I think I have a better idea. I will split my team into two. Carson and I will infiltrate one of their frigates and capture it. Jack and Rylan will return to Cote d' Azor and provide help to the ground forces."

"How are you going to enter the frigate? Its surrounded by an energy shield and the hangar bay only opens for a few minutes."

"Captain, we have Archwings and we can easily penetrate the shields. We done this scenario countless times."

Keyes sighed and wiped his forehead. It was a very risky strategy to execute. Even if they did get pass the shields, how would they deal with the Covenant soldiers on board? There was too much at stake, but he had no choice.

"Al right, you can execute your plan. Just place a transponder so we don't accidentally shot you down. Keyes out"

"Archwings are on standby, Operators! You may depart when ready."

"Okay, let's see what the Covenant will do first. Engage Void cloak." A shimmering wave enveloped the Railjack as it veered starboard. The crew watched as the Iroquois moved toward the Covenant formation.

The two frigates moved forward, the destroyer between them. Two points of light blinked twice from the frigates and sped toward the USNC destroyer. Meanwhile, the Covenant destroyer was moving toward the UNSC destroyer. Roscoe heard about the Covenant;s missiles. They were equipped with tracking torpedos.

The Iroquois had launched a nuclear bomb, but it was aimed elsewhere. Then, the _Iroquois_ performed a "side-jump". The ship would go into slipspace for a short five minutes and appear to "teleport" to either the left or right side. In this case, the destroyer had shifted to the left.

Due to the sudden shift in direction, the torpedoes began to curve and head toward the Iroquois's rear. The two destroyers were close to each other. The Tenno could see the energy shield rippling as the Iroquois's bottom hull grazed it. In the aftermath, engineers reported the ship had lost her entire bottom hull.

Despite the massive damage, it was worth it. The torpedoes slammed into the Covenant destroyer, breaking it into three separate pieces. The two frigates began to turn starboard to pursue their fleeing prey.

Two small figures emerged from the Railjack. Roscoe and Carson were equipped with the Itzal Archwings, a stealth type Archwing. They sped toward one of the frigates, avoiding any floating debris from the destroyer's wreckage.

"There, I see it." Carson highlighted a point on their HUD. A thin rectangular hole near the frigate's rear engines. Apparently, the frigate must have been in a hurry because it wasn't completely sealed. Diverting all power to their thrusters, the two Tenno sped toward the slit before detaching themselves from their Archwings. The momentum would carry them until they entered the artificial gravity in the hangar bay. With a controlled roll landing, they had successfully infiltrated the frigate.

Both Tenno reached for their primary weapons that were on their backs. Carson checked their surroundings before pointing toward a console. With a remote data chip, Roscoe inserted it into the slot. Within seconds, on the top right corner of their HUD was a map of the frigate's interior.

"That's … a lot of places we need to check. How long do you think it will take us, Roscoe? I say an hour."

"Thirty minutes"

Roscoe knelt down to the ground and placed ten circular canisters. The canisters popped open and a white ball started moving. Slowly but steadily, it had a humanoid form before morphing into a Warframe. Weapons materializing on to its back. The process was repeated for the other nine canisters.

"Specters, of course" murmured Carson. Checking his inventory, he also found some canisters and started to deploy them.

The Specters were artificial Warframes that could aid the Tenno. Although their abilities were weaker than the Tenno's Warframes, they had two distinct advantages. First, Specters had enhanced shields and health. It was rumored to be as strong as a Prime Warframe. Second, they were able to match the fighting ability of their enemies. No matter how smart or tough the enemy was, the Specters would be able to fight them on equal footing.

With twenty-two Warframes, they divided themselves into two groups of eleven. Through divide and conquer, the Tenno would gain control of the frigate.

* * *

\- Twenty three minutes later -

The sound of ricochet filled the hallways as both intruder and defender shot at each other. The Kig-Yar snipers had taken position behind pillars and the Unggoy were slowly advancing toward the Tenno. Roscoe aimed his Sybaris rifle at one of the snipers. With three shots, the Kig-Yar was down.

He then activated Iron Skin, covering himself in a hardened outer layer of armor. Peeking from his cover, he could see the Unggoys waddling toward him. Several shots ended the Unggoys' lives before they could see him. Meanwhile, the Specters had flanked the Kig-Yar snipers. All that was left was the Unggoy, who were dropping their needlers and surrendering.

Roscoe was wondering if Carson was all right. The engine room was supposedly guarded by the Jiralhanae soldiers. His question was answered by Carson and two Specters. He was slightly limping, his right foot sprained. Examining the foot, Roscoe could tell the ligaments were partially torn. He helped the injured Chroma sit down.

"The engine room was insane. Specters were getting crushed left and right. I used up all of my energy to finish then off. The last one twisted my foot before I killed it."

"Well, I can't heal you properly; but I do have this." From his inventory, he pulled out a Large Squad Energy Restore consumable. Once deployed, it would emit a wave of energy, which wave giving 100 units of energy to the squad.

After four pulses, Roscoe lifted Carson to his feet. Once he ensured Carson was able to walk properly, he walked over to the large oval door. This door was the only entrance to the bridge. Behind that door were the Elites, ready to attack any intruder that tried to enter.

The plan was simple: have the Specters go in first before they went in. With their attention focused on the Specters, the Elites would notice them until it was too late.

After hacking the systems, the door slid open. A barrage of energy bolts and needles flooded the hallway. After a few seconds, the Specters rushed into the room. Cries of anger and surprise filled the bridge before it was replaced with death screams. Five seconds later, carson and roscoe entered the bridge. It was a complete mess. The floor and ceiling were splattered in purple blood. Chopped arms and legs were strewn about the place.

The Specters had surrounded a wounded Elite, who was kneeling on the floor. His armor was dented beyond repair and there were many scratches on the chest and arm armor. He growled menacingly at his captors.

"What's your name?"

The Elite simply stared at him before he answered Roscoe. "I will not tell you my name, _nishum_."

Carson sighed before placing the transponder down. Then, he placed seven triangular dots on the Elite. He placed two dots on each leg, two on the arms, one on the Elite's back, one on his chest. He finally placed the last one on top of the Elite's head.

Stretching his hand over the captured Elite, he began the process of digitization. The air began to shimmer around the Elite. Carson knew this process going to very uncomfortable for his prisoner. In the first stage, the subject's body was scanned and prepped. Then, the subject's body structure would be transformed into light particles. In the final stage, the subject would collected and stored inside a tiny space in the Warframe's palm.

Strangely, the Elite did not howl in pain once. He stared ahead, not caring if he was going to die in the process. With the last bit of the Elite's essence stored his palm, the mission was complete. The remaining Specters were at various consoles, making sure the frigate was intact.

On the view screen, Roscoe could see the Iroquois had finished her gravitational loop around Sigma Octanus. On closer inspection, he could see some drop pods falling toward the planet.

Just a few hundred feet away from them, was the nuclear bomb. With the _Iroquois_ moving toward them, Roscoe moved the frigate away from the bomb and the incoming destroyer. With a barrage of Archer missiles and a MAC round, the other frigate was torn to pieces.

On the radio channel, Roscoe heard on Keyes voice.

"Keyes, can you hear me? We captured the frigate."

"I can hear you, loud and clear. We will be leaving the system shortly for some repairs. In the meantime, get to the city and take down the assault carrier. Good luck"

The _Iroquois_ turned away and activated its slipstream drive. Meanwhile, the frigate sped toward the surface of Sigma Octanus.

* * *

Author's Section:

I decided to change the ending of Chapter 8 a little bit. I have outlined the following information that both the Tenno and USNC know about each other.

Any information that is **NOT** listed in the proposal means that neither the Tenno nor the USNC know about.

For example, the Tenno don't know about how the SPARTAN program was created or about how ONI was involved in it. They also don't know about the MJOLNIR armor materials. All they know is that the Spartans are very powerful and their armor is extremely strong.

Vice versa, the USNC don't know a lot about the Tenno. They have no information on the Zariman Ten-Zero accident. They also don't know how to create Warframes or how to replicate the Transference process. Most importantly , they don't know about the true nature of the Tenno, (that they are immortal teenagers with some wicked power). All they know is the Tenno use the Warframes and have incredible powers.


	10. Battle of Sigma Octanus - Pt 2

Ch.10: Battle of Sigma Octanus - Pt 2

* * *

Sigma Octanus IV, Cote d' Azor

July 17, 2552 / 1600 PM

* * *

In the city, buildings were in flames. Rubble from destroyed buildings partially blocked streets or alleyways. The sound of gunfire and shouting could be heard. Jack steered the Railjack carefully, scanning the area for life signs. Below him, Rylan was manning the bottom turret. Ever since they arrived, they had been doing two things: supporting the Marines as a gunship or transporting them back to the fallback point.

On the rooftop of one building, he saw a Marine fire a red flare and waving his hands. Jack positioned the ship to have the aft side facing the soldier. He got out of the pilot's seat and headed for the port exit. Behind him, a Mag Specter took the pilot's controls and waited. After disembarking the Railjack, he could see the Marine was not alone. There were four other troopers. One of them was severely injured, having shrapnel in his left arm and right leg. The medic had pulled out he shrapnel pieces and applied the biofoam, but it wasn't working. The arm had stopped bleeding, but the leg was oozing blood.

Jack walked over to the Marine, who had just saluted him. "Corporal Jenkins, sir" Jenkins stood at ease. Jack nodded back and pointed the injured man.

"Get the stretcher and transport him to the ship. Have your men get on board immediately."

Jenkins nodded and rallied his men to the ship. Jack grabbed one end of the stretcher and helped the medic. Once the stretcher was on board, the Railjack turned to its starboard side and sped toward the fallback point.

"Are we the last ones, sir?" Jack turned to face the corporal. He seemed worried, unsure whether any other fireteams had survived.

"Pretty much, the others are at the fallback point. From there, you will regroup with reinforcements from the _Iroquois_."

As the _Plantagenet_ approached the point, the Railjack landed a few feet from the Pelican, Across the field, it was dotted with various drop pods, their occupants heading toward the Pelican.

At the mouth of the cargo bay stood the SPARTAN-IIs. After they had landed, they immediately took command of the Marine forces. Jack walked over to the Pelican once the Marines had left the Railjack.

James-005 turned to face the Frost Prime. "We just split our forces. Red and Green Team have been dispatched. The Marines will go with them to provide support. As for us, we will be going through the jungle."

"Y'all need air support on the way?" drawled Jack.

"No, but, I have something you need to scan." James pointed at the holographic image of an Athenian temple. "This is the city's natural history museum. Apparently, the Covvies have taken over and we don't know their numbers. Report back to us once you have information."

"Got it" said the Tenno pilot. Jack turned and ran toward the Railjack. Once aboard, the Mag Specter relinquished the controls back to the Frost Prime.

Seconds later, the Railjack was returning to the ruined city. The CAS-class assault carrier loomed over the city like a hawk. Banshees flew past buildings, patrolling the airspace. Thankfully, the Railjack had its Void cloaking activated. However, they had been forced to reduce their speed to a crawl.

Up ahead was the museum James had mentioned. At the top of the staircase were two stationary plasma turrets. The Plantagenet hovered over the roof and scanned the temple. Inside, there were about 100 Jackals in the building. Near the center were two Brutes, guarding some sort of stone. The stone was surrounded by scanners, which relayed information to a portable console The console then sent the information as a stream of light to a stealth ship in outer space.

"Ordis, have you finish hacking their communication network?" asked Rylan. He was eager to listen to the Covenant's communications.

"Yes, it's quite fascinating, this battlenet of theirs is much more advanced than ours or the USNC's comm network."

"How so, Ordis?" inquired Jack.

"Well, the battlenet allows instantaneous communication between soldiers and officers. What is so remarkable about this system is the lack of lag-time. By removing it, they are able to send orders quickly. Even if the message's destination is thousands of light-years away, it would still arrive within an hour."

"Okay… thanks for the useless trivia; now, can you -"

"Already done, Operator." A garble of hisses and growls filled the bridge before it turned into a machine-like English voice. Although translated, it still contained some garbled alien words.

"Gah raykoh 'Zozamai Chohkah of the _Light Rain_. The mission is going well. Gah reeoh nearly finished. The Fohran artifact has given us valuable information on the Sacred Ring. Once we are done, we will destroy the stone to prevent the dohmoh from learning its secret. 'Zozamai Chohkah out." *

The transmission ended with a buzz of static. Whoever this 'Zozamai person was, the download had to be stopped. Rylan walked over to the command center and pressed a button on the blue holographic screen.

"Ordis, is there a way to delay the download? We need to buy time for the Spartans. I am sending all available info to them right now."

"Yes, however, I cannot stop the download. At this rate, it will finish before the Spartans get to the museum. Delaying info download now"

Rylan patched into Blue Team's communication network.

"This is Rylan from the _Plantagenet_. I am sending all available info on the museum. I am also sending an intercepted Covenant transmission. You need to hurry."

A few minutes passed before the Chief replied. "Understood. We are doubling our pace as I speak."

On the radar, both Rylan and jack could see four green dots moving toward the storm drains. Once the team had entered the storm drains, the signals began to fade.

Meanwhile, the data transfer was still underway. Even with Ordis's interference, the Covenant had enough information to locate this "Sacred Ring" of theirs. Jack could have the captured frigate ram the stealth ship, but it would alert the ground forces something was amiss. The worst case scenario was they would destroy the stone.

The least they could do was destroy the stationary plasma turrets. With the turrets eliminated, either the Pelican or Railjack could retrieve the team. Meanwhile, the captured Covenant frigate was heading toward the stealth ship.

"Roscoe, what the _hell_ are you doing? If you ram it, the ground forces will know something went wrong."

"There's no time. I am ramming it either ways. Is the Chief almost there?"

Rylan checked the radar again. "They just reached the museum. Looks like they will take a shortcut. Just wait until they get near the Brutes."

Three minutes passed and Rylan signaled Roscoe. At once, the frigate began to move toward the _Light Rain_. On the battlenet, Shipmaster 'Zuzamai was demanding the frigate to stop. His pleas went unanswered. The frigate's front crashed and ripped through the Light Rain's starboard side. The stream of light flickered and died out as the connection broke.

At the ground, the Master Chief and his team were fighting both Jackal and Brute at the same time. The roof suddenly broke apart and rubble fell on top of dozens of jackals. Fred looked up to see the Plantagenet hovering over the roof. A figure leapt out of the starship and landed on the ground, sending a shockwave from hs landing.

The Revenant stood up and brushed the dust off his body. He then turned toward one of het Brutes and charged at him. Unable to block the hit, Rylan deftly sliced off the Brute's left arm and whirled around the Brute's back. He then backstabbed the Brute in its back and kicked it.

The Brute tried to get up, but its head was blasted to bits from Fred's M45 shotgun. The Jackals wee too shocked from the Tenno's unexpected arrival. A rattle of gunfire drew their attention to the bottom turret.

They immediately ran through a corridor, only to find it blocked by a barrage of gunfire. Both Red and Green Team had finished evacuating the civilians and reinforced Blue Team. As the Jackals were being massacred, Blue Team and the Tenno was dealing with the other Brute. Through run and gun tactics, the Spartans distracted it long enough for the Tenno to pounced on its back. WIth a mighty stab into its spinal cord, the giant yeti-like creature fell down with a "thump".

"The stone is secured and we have planted the bomb. Evacuating now." The three fireteams and the lone Tenno ran to the Pelican waiting outside. Minutes later, a nuclear explosion engulfed both the city and CAS-class assault carrier in a blaze of white and orange. Similar explosions would be seen in other cities.

In outer space, the number of Covenant fleet had grown exponentially. Originally, only four ships were in the system. Now, there were twenty four ships, mostly destroyers and cruisers. On the other side, were the USNC's ships. Despite having more ships than the Covenant, the plasma torpedoes would rip the ships apart.

The flagship, the Leviathan, started to move. The others followed. Within minutes, they had formed a checkerboard-like formation. Then, they fired simultaneously. Dozens of MAC rounds flew across the empty space and hit their targets. Unfortunately, their volley didn't work. Plasma torpedoes surged toward the USNC flotilla.

A large blocky rectangular ship descend in front of the flotilla. The repair-refitting station, the Cradle, was sacrificing itself to be a shield. As they watched the torpedoes hit the station, the captains in each ship diverted all of their reactor's power to recharging their MAC cannon.

Slowly but steadily, the _Cradle_ was torn to pieces. The moment their MAC cannons were recharged to full power, the flotilla fired once more. This time, their rounds finished off the remnants of the Covenant fleet. Only eight ships had escaped with minor wounds. They retreated home.

Hovering above the planet, the captured frigate was still alive. The ship's nose had suffered some damage, but it was repairable. Most importantly, the IFF transponder was still active. The _Iroquois_ moved toward the frigate and hailed it.

" Nice to see you're still alive, Roscoe."

"Capt. Keyes, good to see you. Is the Chief back on your ship?"

"Yes, he is. I'm heading back to Reach to debrief the council. You will have to come with us."

"Before you go, I am detecting something."

As the destroyer passed the frigate, there was a small spy probe attached to the hull of the ship. How it got there, nobody knew. Regardless, they were lucky to have detected the probe before they made their slipspace jump.

After five hours, the spy probe was detached from the hull and left adrift. With the Covenant unable to track the ship, both the frigate and the destroyer made their to Reach.

* * *

The intercepted transmission is read as:

"This is Shipmaster 'Zozamai of the _Light Rain. _The mission is going well. It is nearly finished. The Forerunner artifact has given us valuable information on the Sacred Ring. Once we are done, we will destroy the stone to prevent the humans from learning it secret. Shipmaster 'Zozamai out."


	11. Debrief

Ch 11: Debrief

* * *

Epsilon Eridani System, Reach

July 18, 2552 / 1015 AM

Reach FLEETCOM Military Complex

* * *

After docking their ships at Gamma Station, the Tenno boarded a Pelican, which transported them to a space elevator. The elevator then brought them down to the planet's surface, where another Pelican was waiting for them. The flight to the military base was uneventful.

A pair of Marines guarded the Tenno as they were led an elevator. This elevator would take them to the underground briefing room, where a committee of officers were waiting. The room was illuminated by a bright white light. The head of the committee stood up and greeted them

"Welcome to Reach. I am Vice Admiral Whitcomb, Commander of Reach High Command and Deputy Chief of Naval Operations. My colleagues and I are here to receive your testimony regarding your arrival and actions during the battle."

And so, each Tenno recounted what had transpired, from their arrival to the Sigma Octanus system to the discovery of the spy probe. Afterward, came a flurry of questions.

A commander was confused about the Tenno's generations. "How do you determine who is younger or older?"

"We divide our generations based on the years they were awaken. Generation 1 are those that were awaken in 400 OE to 451. Gen 2 is from 452 to 495. Gen 3 is 496 to 554. Gen 4 is 555 to the current year. For example, Roscoe woke up in 407 OE. So, we consider him a first gen Tenno." explained Carson.

A lieutenant commander asked Roscoe which enemy was the most dangerous if they did invade the Sol System.

"In my opinion, you should fear the Infested. They have the ability to convert anyone, whether it be man or machine, to their will. If they can bend an AI to their will, you should create countermeasures immediately."

Then, an ONI officer questioned Jack about the Void cloak the Railjack had used. "Is it possible to use the cloak when the ship is moving?"

Jack paused before he answered. " Yes, but the ship would have to move at impulse speed*." The ONI officer nodded before he sat down.

A captain then stood up and asked Rylan, "How long has your Cephalon been in service?"

The Revenant scratched the back of his head before answering nervously. "Uh… maybe 500 years? I don't know the exact date of when our Cephalon was created. It was somewhere before the Orokin leaders were killed."

Whatever Rylan had said stirred the committee. There were audible gasps when they heard his statement. Whitcomb stammered, "H-How is that possible? Our AI go into rampancy if they are older than seven years old!"

The Revenant shrugged. "It might be the way you are constructing your AIs that causes them to be rampant."

Both the vice admiral and ONI officer wrote a note on their data pads. The last question as directed toward Carson. "You were injured by a Brute, yet you claim to have extraordinary abilities. How did this happen in the first place, anyway?"

"Ah… you see, we replenish our energy through energy orbs. During the battle, I took out the Brutes with my Spectral Scream. However, I ran out of shields and energy. At that point, the last Brute grabbed me by my ankle and twisted it real hard. If we don't have energy orbs, we can't really fight that well."

"Well, our technicians at REAP-X could make a portable energy generator, if you give us your technology." said the ONI officer.

As much as they hated ONI, they were probably the Tenno's best bet of having energy. With no energy orbs, they couldn't utilize their Warframe's full power.

"Okay, so if we give you our Energy Restore equipment, how long will it take?" The ONI officer before he answered, "I don't know. The sooner you give it to us, the faster we can reverse-engineer it."

It was then time to review the draft proposal. While the officers agreed with the articles, they wanted to make amendments before ratifying it.

"For our first amendment, we want to assign a number of personnel and a Prowler to your ship. This is to ensure you are following the regulations. Of course, he or she has skills that are beneficial to your crew. In addition, the Prowler can aid your ship however possible."

"What kind of personnel, sir?" spoke Rylan as he crossed his arms.

"We would like to have a fireteam, technicians and an officer. It will be an ONI officer."

Roscoe bristled when he heard 'ONI officer'. "Is it standard to have an ONI officer on your ship at all times? What if they try to supercede my authority?" demanded Roscoe. He was uncomfortable that another person would attempt to take his command away.

"Yes, it is standard to have an ONI officer on all UNSC ships. They are there to coordinate and ensure any UNSC data is purged in accordance with the Cole Protocol." said Whitcomb.

"Rest assured, even if they tried too,'' said Vice Admiral Whitcomb as he glared at the ONI spook, "you are in command of your own ship. Otherwise, they will be disciplined _harshly_." The emphasis on the last word made the spook's eyebrow twitch. The spook muttered under his breath.

"All right, I accept the amendment. What's next?"

After two and a half hours, the debrief was near its conclusion. The last thing on the agenda was to give the Tenno their assigned ranks and a vote of ratification. The following ranks were given to the Tenno:

Roscoe was given the rank of Captain, since he was the commanding officer of the ship. Jack was given the rank of Commander, as he was the Railjack's pilot and second-in-command. Carson was given the rank of Lieutenant Commander. Finally, Rylan was given the rank of Ensign, the lowest rank.

Five hands rose up in unison and the proposal was official. Before they returned to the surface, Whitcomb told Roscoe to expect their new crew members to arrive within four hours. He also him their service records for the Tenno to read. As the Tenno walked back to the elevator, Roscoe ordered to Ordis to auto-pilot the Railjack to land at the nearest dock.

"So, how exactly are going to welcome our new friends?" asked Carson.

"Well, I was hoping to give them something. Their armor won't do them any good in a fight."

Carson stared at Roscoe, then shook his head slowly. "So, we are giving them _that_?"

"Yes, Carson. We are giving it to them."


	12. Upgrades & Crew Members

Ch.12: Upgrades & Crew Members

* * *

Epsilon Eridani System, Reach

July 18, 2552 / 1415 AM

Dock 15

* * *

Waiting on the docking platform were a group of people. Ranging from battle-hardened ODST troopers to nervous, but excited technicians; they were waiting for the Tenno to introduce themselves. Three hours and thirty minutes ago, they had been briefed on their new officers, their experience and its ship. They did not expect to find themselves under the command of aliens. Yet, if what was said about them were true; they were more than willing to serve with pride.

Sargent West stood at attention as they came out to inspect them. The hulking six feet and two inches mass of grey and black looked him, its white eyes staring at every inch of his body. West couldn't help but feel scared.

"Maybe they think I'm not good enough. I mean, they did look at my service record right?" He was a survivor of two battles, the Battle of New Constantinople and Battle of Arcadia. He considered himself lucky to have lived through the harrowing battlefield.

The four alien beings stood before the group before the grey and black being stepped forward. He had a booming voice, with a trace of a German accent.

"My name is Roscoe and I'm your Captain. Behind me is my ship, the Plantagenet." He pointed his thumb at the pristine white ship. "As you know, we are strangers in a strange land. However, despite our predicament, we are willing to aid the UNSC in its fight." He surveyed the group before him.

"Before you enter my ship, I thought I would give you a gift." He pointed at several boxes on a long rectangular table. Each box was labeled with their first and last name. "In those boxes are your new gear. On your left, you will find some changing rooms. I will explain what they do."

As everyone shuffled off to grab their respective boxes, Carson nudged Roscoe.

"Think they will like it?"

"Yeah, I heard it's comfortable, why?"

"It's just that, this armor, wasn't this for the Syndicates?"

Roscoe paused. The armor and skinsuit that they were handing out for free was meant for the Syndicate. After rescuing the Red Veil operatives during the Specter of Liberty operation (occurred in 519 POE), the Tenno clans agreed to research and develop a better armor for their allies. The goal was to create an armor that was similar to a Warframe. In secret, Roscoe had donated the blueprint as an anonymous archaeologist. Almost immediately, the massive joint venture began making improvements. Field tests were conducted and the results were used to improve the armor. Finally, the armor was rolled out in 529 OE.

It was called the Personal Defense Armor and Skinsuit (PDAS). The armor were collapsible armor pieces, which could fit into a luggage bag. The skinsuit was an updated version of the skinsuit Syndicate operatives wore. On each body part was a clip, which attached the armor piece. What made this armor unique from the MJOLNIR armor was the armor piece's ability to evolve. As time passed by, the armor would grow stronger and change its shape to provide the maximum benefit for the user. It would know which places were hit the most and which places were the most vulnerable. More importantly, it adapted to the user's combat style, whether they were infantry grunts to specialized soldiers.

Over the years, it was continually improved on and each iteration was better than the previous one. The current armor was the third iteration of PDAS. It had the basic functions of a Warframe. It had energy shieldings, a basic HUD screen and protected the user from a variety of elemental hazards. The newest addition was a camouflage system. It changed the energy shields into an invisibility cloak. However, it only lasted fifteen minutes. If the user tried to run while in camo, it would dissipate in five minutes or less.

As they stretched and tested their armor, Carson placed a data pad on the ground, which produced a holographic image of the PDAS. He then explained its functions to their crew members. Most were surprised by the fact they had energy shieldings, but only one person was angry despite the technological advancements.

"And with that, we will now split up into groups. Marines, introduce yourself to Carson. He will be in charge of you guys. Engineers, meet up with Rylan at the Void Engine room. He will give you the rundown on repairing the ship."

That left the ONI officer, who stepped toward Roscoe and Jack. The officer stopped and gave a quick salute. "Lieutenant Lambert of the Prowler _Capet_, reporting for duty" The Rhino gave a short nod and she clasped her hands behind her back.

Roscoe coughed and spoke, "So, what exactly can you do for us?"

"I have a specialty in communication interference tactics and astronavigation, sir."

Jack frowned. Why did they need a navigator in the first place? Ordis could just cloak the ship and no one would know where they were. It was even more strange that she was an astronavigator. Calling back from intercepted files, almost no one was an astronavigator in ONI.

"So, why were you sent here? I think it's more than keeping us in line, am I correct?"

The lieutenant shifted her feet. "Yes, I have another assignment as well. In case your Cephalon is damaged, I will be your substitute navigator."

Of course. It was rare for Ordis to malfunction. The last time he malfunctioned, he was temporarily transferred to Simaris's simulacrum to prevent a full cascade on his Cephalon weave network.

"Why didn't you give your PDAS to the UNSC?" asked Lambert.

"I didn't hand it over because of two factors. One, it is part of my personal inventory. I don't have to give it to you. Two, you guys have already reversed-engineered the Covenant's energy shield technology. Besides, the PDAS has several flaws compared to the MJOLNIR armor." He motioned her to follow him. He continued to speak to her. Jack followed close behind.

"First of all, it does not enhance the user in any way. It's main purpose is to protect the user from any elemental includes radiation and Void energy specifically. Secondly, the armor provides limited protection to plasma. In the computer simulations, it showed it protected the user from plasma Needler shots. However, a few swipes from an energy sword will render the armor useless."

"So, how did you 'inherit' this armor?" asked the ONI lieutenant. The trio had reached the bridge and were standing at the main screen. The Rhino sighed. "Before he met his untimely demise, my friend gave me all the prototypes he had made."

"Incoming transmission from the _Capet_" chirped Ordis. The main screen dissolved into black before a face appeared. Dressed in black battle armor stood the Capet's captain.

"This is Captain Maxwell speaking. I see my lieutenant is with you. How are things going?"

"Fine, Captain. Where are you, though? I imagine somewhere on the planet being cloaked."

Maxwell smiled. "Indeed. In fact, we finished our routine patrol in the Highland Mountains. Perhaps you would like to join us for our next patrol at the Viery Territory?"

Roscoe nodded. "What time?" Maxwell took a peek at his offscreen agenda. "July 23 at 1300 hours."

"Ok then. I will see what my ship needs and if it can be modified with your tech. Roscoe out." The transmission was cut and the main screen reverted back to its normal state. "All right, let's finish up before nightfall."

At 2015 PM, everything was finished. The collapsible bunk beds, shower area and weapons rack were done. The navigation system was installed and cross-referencing process was complete. All in all, the first day had gone well.

"We will be doing some exercises tomorrow. Be here at 0750 am sharp. Dismissed!" The weary crew members dragged their feet to the waiting jeeps that would take them back to their barracks.

Total Crew Number:

4 Tenno Warframes

4 ODST Troopers

3 Technicians

1 Astronavigator / ONI Officer

* * *

Author's Section

For those that were wondering why none of the Tenno could use their abilities, its because the enemies don't exactly spawn energy orbs from their dead bodies. Hopefully, the last chapter was able to explain that weird phenomenon. I will showcase their abilities in the next chapter, though!

As always, I look forward to your comments and questions.

\- The Phantom Traveler


	13. WINTER CONTINGENCY

Ch.13: WINTER CONTINGENCY

* * *

Epsilon Eridani System, Reach

July 22, 2552 / 2055 pm

Visegrad Relay

* * *

Inside the ONI relay station, there was chaos. The staccato of gunfire echoed through the halls. In the control room, an Hungarian xenoarchaeologist was begging for his life. Laszlo Sorvad had finished transferring the data into the data crystal when the power was cut. Seconds later, the hum of the emergency generator could be heard faintly outside. "Generator must have blown a fuse," he thought. As he packed up, the titanium-A grade doors hissed and slid open. He turned around and found himself trapped by three Elites. Two purple Elites stood near the door, while the crimson Elite walked toward him.

The last thing he saw was a flash of purple and darkness descended on him.

Far away from the control room, Sorvad's daughter was hiding in, of all places, a storage room. Why she hid there, no one would know. Perhaps it was the closest place where she could hide. Maybe it was far away. Either way, she was terrified and out of her mind. All she hoped for was for someone to notice that the relay had shut down all communications. Then, she would be saved.

* * *

July 23, 2552 / 1250 PM

Dock 15

* * *

In the past four days, the Tenno had pushed the crew members to their max. Each group were trained and supervised by them.

The ODSTs were sent to a nearby field. There, they were given Skanas and taught how to use them. Most of them picked up the basics in an hour. From there, they fought each other in duels. The last exercise of the day was a one on one against Carson. Of course, he wasn't using the Gram against them. If he did, the ODSTs would be dead. Instead, he used a wooden Type 1 energy sword. It was to simulate the scenario of an Elite trying to kill them.

Their astronavigator was quite efficient at using planets as weapons. Hiding near magnetic poles and gravitational slingshots were common tactics, but riding the edge of a black hole was insane. "You know, I'm all for crazy tactics, but this is too much." Jack grimaced as he manually drifted the Railjack at top speed. It wasn't easy to steer the Railjack in this condition. It required a fine balance between overpushing the engine and making sure the Railjack was near the edge. One slight nudge and the Frost Prime cried out in frustration. The screen faded to a red background with the words 'Mission Failed' blinking.

"Well, that's all for today. Rylan, how are the techies?" Roscoe called over the intercom system.

"Exhausted, Captain. But, they are getting the hang of it. One more week and they will know the ship like the back of their hands!" In the background, he could the groans and wheezing of the technicians.

"Right, I will prepare the ship for takeoff." The ODSTs had just boarded the ship. They too were tired and need a long shower. Carson walked over the bridge while stretching his arms. "Ah.. that was a good workout today. About time they stopped dodging and attacking me for once."

"I don't blame them for dodging you. Besides, no one wants to be sliced in half." Three chirps alerted Roscoe that everything was green and the route had been plotted. The roar of the engines filled the ship as it lifted toward the grey overcast skies. As it sped toward the Viery Territory, they could see the small town of Visegrad below. About fifty kilometers away was the Visegrad relay.

One of three communication stations, Visegrad Relay connected Reach's northern region to the main communication network. It was also an ONI research base, which focused on Forerunner technology. As with the RSOs, the relay stations had to send an hourly report to ensure nothing was wrong.

It had been twenty-four hours since their last transmission. Hence, the _Plantagenet_ and _Capet_ were sent to investigate as they were the closest to the relay. For this mission, there were two teams: the ODSTS as Gold Team and the Tenno as Silver Team. Silver Team would be the lead tem, while Gold Team supported them. Ordis and Lt. Lambert would be Mission Control, updating and feeding information on the go. Meanwhile, the Capet would scout the region for any sign of Covenant intrusion and report back.

The two teams were dropped a few meters away from the relay station. Roscoe and Carson took point as the others followed. In the main lobby, each person checked the room, searching for any sign. Once cleared, they rushed through a long corridor. In almost every room, it was empty, devoid of any sign. It wasn't until they reached the research laboratories that Sargent West smelled something. He raised his fist and everyone stopped. He sniffed the air and made a face. "Its ozone, sir. Its faint, but it's getting stronger."

Roscoe nodded and kept moving. As the smell grew stronger, Roscoe instinctively activated Iron Skin. Likewise, both Carson and Rylan activated their own armor abilities. At the end of the corridor was a large, octagonal courtyard. The courtyard was illuminated by a glass ceiling. On one corner, there was a waterfall. There were tables and chairs, neatly arranged. But the outlier was a Covenant generator in the center. Several Elites gathered around it, trying to recharge their shields. None of them noticed their intruders as they took positions behind pillars or synthetic leather chairs. Once everyone was situated, Roscoe counted to five and screamed with all his might. Immediately, the Elites toward the sound, not knowing where it came from. A blaze of bullets slammed into bodies, their shields rippling across their bodies. What was strange was how fast their shields were deteriorating. Normally, it required an entire clip to destroy the shield and another to finish of the Elite. Thanks to Roscoe's Roar ability, everyone had increased damage for thirty seconds.

The generator was suddenly encased in ice. The sound of cracking ice crystals distracted them, Two of the elites were frozen solid as Jack's Ice Wave travelled through the group. As the ODSTs gunned down those that trapped by the ice, one Elite survivor escaped the carnage. Just as he reached for the emergency button, he stopped.

"Why am I fighting for the Covenant anyway?" he thought to himself. "For a long time, we have fighting the humans, to prepare ourselves for the Great Journey. But everytime I question the Prophets, they turn me away. Perhaps it is time for me to swear allegiance to someone else, someone better, someone _more honorable_."

He withdrew his finger from the button and saluted the Revenant Warframe. The ODSTs were dumbfounded at the sight of an Elite saluting them. "Oh, don't worry. He's an ally for the next thirty seconds." Rylan returned the salute and began to interrogate their "ally".

"When and where did your fleet arrive, Sangheli?"

"The Fleet of Valiant Prudence arrived yesterday at dawn. We have set stealth pylons to prevent the humans from detecting us. We also set a spire that is connected to our supercarrier, the _Long Night of Solace_. Our fleet is located in the northernmost part of the Viery Territory"

"Explain to me, what is a spire?"

"A spire is our telecommunication and teleporter array. It is guarded by four Banshees and a contingent of Covenant soldiers."

Rylan nodded and asked, "How many soldiers are here and where is your leader?"

"There are a total of twenty soldiers. Currently, there are now eleven. Field Marshal 'Matum and his two bodyguards are at the control center. The rest are outside the room. Just turn left at the end of the corridor."

"Thank you very much" The Sangheli nodded before he was decapitated by his own energy sword. The head landed with a 'thud' and rolled away, leaving a trail of purple blood. The body collapsed, still twitching.

"Sarge, was that really necessary?" West turned to Corporal Jenkins. He could see in his eyes apprehension and a bit of fear. "We are at war, son. There are things that must be done, no matter the cost. Move out! "

"Y'all get that?" inquired Jack

"Yes, Operator, we did. The lieutenant has sent your conversation to the _Capet_. We will hear from them soon." chirped Ordis.

"Heads up, you have eight thermal signatures on your left. There are three more in the control center." said Lambert.

"Copy. Contact in two minutes, everyone" said West. He turned to Roscoe. "You guys good?" The four Tenno checked their energy levels and nodded. "Okay, whenever you're ready, Captain" Roscoe poked his head around the left corner. Sure enough, there were eight Sanghelis. ONce again, they followed the same strategy that was used against their earlier foes. Corporal Jenkins tried to access the center. "We are locked out, sir."

Roscoe sighed and rotated his shoulder blades. Then, he charged toward the door. The doors were pushed inward and exploded. He crashed into 'Matum, who was at the computer. The two bodyguards leapt toward the Rhino, only to be engulfed in electrical fire from Carson's Spectral Scream. Their agony was cut short by bullets and shotgun pellets. 'Madum, pinned by the computer, stared at the stranger in front of him. He was stunned by the unexpected charge. "What.. are.. You…?" he said as he coughed purple blood. A loud bang ended the Field Marshal as the bullet tore through his skull.

"This is Silver One. All enemies are eliminated. Requesting extract" said Roscoe

"Copy, return to LZ whenever you're ready"

"Sir, I found a survivor." Everyone whirled around to see a private steadying a woman. She appeared to be in the mid-twenties. Her brown eyes widened when she saw her deceased father. For a long time, there was a never ending wail. After twenty minutes, she turned around, her tear-stricken face red. "I-I would like go now." she said shakily. West nodded and steadied her as she left the center. Rylan checked the body to see if there was any memorabilia he could give her. Only three things belonged to the deceased professor's body: his wallet, TACPAD and his leather messenger bag. Picking a large cardboard box, he placed each item with care before closing it.

As the two teams walked back to the landing zone, gears were turning very quickly. The _Capet _had informed Reach HIGHCOM that they had encountered a 'dead zone', a place where their sensors couldn't detect anything. It was agreed that a scout party had to investigate the 'dead zone'. Afterwards, the WINTER CONTINGENCY protocol was activated. All forces were mobilized and reinforcements were on their way. By nightfall, everyone was aware that their worst nightmare had been realized.

The Covenant was on Reach.

* * *

Abilities Used:

Iron Skin, Roar, Rhino Charge, Spectral Scream, Vex Armor, Freeze, Ice Wave, Enthrall, Mesmer Skin

For Revenant's Enthrall ability, I decided to change it a little. Since they are allies, it would be possible to ask them questions. The rest of the abilities mentioned were unchanged.

As always, I look forward to answering your questions and reading your reviews.

\- The Phantom Traveler


	14. HAMMER FIST & UPPER CUT - Pt 1

Ch.14: HAMMER FIST, UPPER CUT - Pt 1

* * *

Epsilon Eridani System, Reach

August 14, 2552 / 0215 am

Dark Zone

* * *

The semi-grainy picture from the scout party was sent to all UNSC ships. A dark purple background with overcast skies. Below were three SDV-class heavy corvettes. In the distance were two other spires.

As the smallest starcraft in the Covenant fleet, these ships were meant to escort capital ships to their destination. Despite their small size, they could (more or less) handle a UNSC frigate by themselves. Outside of the picture frame was the supposed supercarrier hovering over them.

The threat of the supercarrier alarmed the UNSC leadership greatly. As such, they needed to eliminate the ground vehicles and any artillery stations. Once again, the _Planatagenet_ was sent to destroy the vehicles and corvettes before the main attack commenced. The mission would be named Operation HAMMER FIST.

* * *

For Junior Technician Scott, it was _way_ too early for him and the others to wake up. Yesterday, they had returned to the landing dock around 1310 pm. After disembarking, they were told to get some sleep as they would be deployed before dawn. At 0150 hours, they were awakened from their barracks and transported back to the Railjack. Ten minutes later, they were airborne and headed straight to the dark zone.

"I need coffee, damn it. Just something to keep me awake." thought the twenty-one year old. From the corner of his vision, a small rolled-up towel was handed to him. "Careful now, its piping hot." He looked up to the Revenant, who was handing out the towelettes. Scott unrolled it and wiped his face. The steaming cloth woke him up from his lethargic state of mind and he laid the towel around his neck.

"Hey, Rylan! Whose bright idea was it for us to go this early?" Scott had to shout to keep himself from mumbling.

The Revenant shouted over his shoulder. "Blame HIGHCOM for this mission." He pulled up a status report from a console. "Apparently, they want us to blow up the vehicles and the corvettes. The main attack will start at 0800 hrs."

Scott stared at the Warframe. "What about the supercarrier?" he asked. "_That_ will be dealt by another team."

The techies groaned as one. It was going to be a _long_ day for all of them.

"I modified the camouflage system to increase its duration." said Rylan. As he handed each suit back to its owner, he stressed to the Marines. "If you want the camouflage system to remain active, do not run or stand up quickly. The system will shut off automatically." They nodded and walked to the entrance bay. Behind them were four metal crates marked with the nuclear radiation symbol. The three crates contained a HAVOK Tactical Bomb. But the fourth crate was slightly bulkier and labeled with one word: "PROTO".

The four ODSTs carried C4 'putties', remote moldable explosive charges, in their compact backpacks. Meanwhile, the Tenno would carry the nukes for the ships. All eight were to plant each ship together.

"Ready for mission, Silver One" West reported. He performed a last minute check on his M7 Silenced SMG, ensuring the suppressor was tight.

"Good, arriving at LZ in three seconds. Prepare to disembark, teams." Roscoe flipped the safety switch of his Tiberon and chambered the rounds. Then, he jumped. The grass beneath his feet was crushed as he landed. Behind him, the others also landed on their feet.

Throughout the night, the eight of them moved slowly. The ODSTs slapped their putties underneath each vehicle's gravity propulsion engine, while the Tenno provided overwatch. Two and a half hours of crouching and walking slowly paid off. Nearly all of their vehicles and AA guns had an explosive charge attached to them. Now came the second phase.

Entering the corvette itself was easy, as all eight were equipped with Void cloaks. It became complicated when they were inside. Making sure the nuke was close to the reactor and out of sight was a challenge. That meant they had watch where everyone was going. "Sir, I think I found a good spot" said a private. He pointed up at a nearby balcony that was covered in darkness. "I haven't seen any lights in that area for the past thirty minutes. I already checked it through my HUD scanner."

From their position, there was a bridge they cross. However, there was no elevator. Rylan stared at the balcony. He crouched down and stared up at the ceiling. Then he jumped with all his might. He landed on the balcony with a muffled thump. He took a quick look at his surroundings, spotting a narrow rectangular space. "I hope it fits" he thought as the crate was assembled into its physical form. Opening the crate, he found a black rectangular box. On top of it were two small circular satellite dishes. He gingerly lifted the bomb and placed it in the corner. He turned away and jumped down to the group.

"Did it fit?" asked Jenkins. Rylan nodded and pointed his thumb backward. "Now, time to get out of here." At 0745 hrs, all three corvettes had a HAVOK nuke and the teams were extracted.

* * *

Somewhere near Szurzok Ridge, 0800 hrs

As the Railjack flew to the rendezvous point, Jack noticed a small dust cloud in the distance. He magnified his view. It turned out the dust clouds were coming from a convoy of Warthogs and Scorpions. Above were several Pelicans and Falcons.

The _Plantagenet_ landed on a small hill. On its port side, there was a cliff to watch the coming battle. Downward, was a spiraling rocky road. One of the Warthogs diverted its course, heading straight to the hill. The driver kept the Warthog idle as its two passengers got off.

Judging from their MJOLNIR suits, they were Spartans. One of them was decked in blue and silver armor, the other in complete gunmetal grey. Through his HUD, he could see their callsigns: Noble One and Noble Six. The blue Spartan gave a quick salute to Roscoe.

"So, are we ready?" asked Roscoe. In his right hand was the remote detonator. Noble One nodded and held up his left hand. "On count of three, then. One...two… _three_!" Both soldiers pressed the activation button simultaneously. A resounding explosion could be heard in the dark zone. Multiple flashes of light appeared, only to be replaced by the telltale mushroom cloud of a nuclear explosion. The incoming dust covered the three men. Eventually, it settled down. Roscoe shook himself free of the dust. The two Spartans brushed the dust off their chest and shoulders.

The _Long Night of Solace_ had disengaged its active camouflage and began ascending toward space. Two Paris-class frigates, the _Grafton_ and _Saratoga_, began to pursue the fleeing Covenant. Both frigates fired a MAC round at the ascending supercarrier. Meanwhile, the _Savannah_ was in space waiting for the giant supercarrier to show itself.

"Noble One, update from Oscar 42" Oscar 42 was the name of the scout Falcon. He pressed a button on his wrist-mounted TACPAD. "Status report?"

"All three corvettes are destroyed. Vehicles and artillery guns have been eliminated as well. There are a few AA guns in the mountainside. Warthogs and Scorpion crews are encountering heavy resistance. Transmitting coordinates to TACPAD & VISR. Oscar 42 out"

The coordinates flashed on his screen. Six nodded, confirming the coordinates had been transmitted to him as well. The commander was about to switch off his TACPAD, when a short-burst transmission was received. He listened to it intently before ending the transmission. He looked up, just in time to see the Rhino halfway boarding the ship.

"Wait, sir! I have new orders for both of us." The Rhino stared at the Spartan leaders before climbing back down. He unclipped the portable hologram projector near his leg and placed in his hand. The image of a semi-shaved human appeared.

"I'm Colonel Holland, CO of Noble Team. I have received your orders from Vice Admiral Whitcomb directly. The two teams are to destroy the remaining AA guns and supercarrier. Once that's finished, head to New Alexandria. You will receive new orders there. Do you have the prototype, Captain Roscoe?"

Roscoe nodded.

"That NOVA bomb prototype is the brainchild of the vice admiral. It has a much larger explosive power than an ordinary HAVOK bomb. You will have to arm it manually. Good luck" The hologram dissolved and the projector was clipped back to place.

"Operator, our map has been updated with new objectives. We should - **KILL THEM ALL** \- eliminate them as soon as possible."

"Ordis, deploy my archwing. Have Gold Team on the sentry guns ASAP and head for the first coordinates."

From the Railjack's rear, an Elytron archwing slid out and attached itself to Roscoe's waist. After going the pre-flight procedure, the Archwing's afterburner kicked in, propelling the Rhino into the sky. He then oriented himself and flew toward the first objective.

* * *

Author's Section

Well, it was about time the Tenno met Noble Team. Now, onto the comment section!

Primordial Inscriptor Z-09: Thanks. I will try to incorporate more scenes where the Tenno use their powers.

TwinkleMain: That was not intentional. That was a spelling issue on my part. I have revised and updated my previous chapters to correct that error. Thanks for the heads up!

Dontus: I will be answering your question in three parts:

1\. You are correct that Rhino, Chroma and Frost Prime have been forma'd. However, these Warframes have already reached the max level _before_ arriving in the Halo Universe.

The reason the Tenno are so hesitant about using abilities is because **there are no energy orbs for them to use**. The enemies killed so far have don't drop any energy orbs at all. That's why Chroma had a hard time with the Brutes back on the frigate. I added this mechanic as a way to restrict their power. Once their energy bar is depleted, no more abilities can be used. It also teaches the Tenno to **conserve** their ability usage.

2\. I assuming there is a giant Transference Room on the Railjack somewhere. Keep in mind, I'm using the current information on Railjacks that was revealed in TennoCon 2018. Hopefully, they will show more in this year's TennoCon on July 6.

3\. That's a good idea for an OC character. I will add him to the story, but with some changes.

One, I'm switching the primary rifle (Latron Wraith) to something else. Since his clan is known for creating inferior versions of Prime weapons, I will have him use an inferior version of Braton Prime called _**Braton Deacon. **_

Two, he will appear over Installation Four with his modified Liset spinning out of control. From there, he will reunite with the _Plantagenet's_ crew.

* * *

A word of caution to readers: I intend on making a flashback story for Roscoe. That 'friend' of his will play a major role in future chapters (events before halo 4). It will occur probably on the trip to Installation 4.

As always, I look forward to answering your questions and concerns.

\- The Phantom Traveler


	15. HAMMER FIST & UPPER CUT - Pt 2

Ch.15: HAMMER FIST, UPPER CUT - Pt 2

* * *

Epsilon Eridani System, Reach

August 14, 2552 / 1220 am

Mountainside, near Szurdok Ridge

* * *

The Type-38 Anti-Aircraft Cannon, nicknamed the Tyrant, was a giant turret emplacement capable of shooting plasma bolts at high velocities. It was certainly intimidating to ground forces, as it stood 45.6 meters above ground level. Its heavy base structure could withstand tank shells from a Scorpion. There were two ways to destroy the turret. Either blow up its pinch fusion reactor or shoot the back of the cannon with rockets.

Three purple bolts of plasma soared through the sky, aimed at a small white ship. In response, the ship unleashed a barrage of small, hornet-like missiles. Some of the missiles hit the cannon, while others went for the Covenant ground forces. Near the Covenant ground forces, Scorpion tanks were moving up slowly, its commanders anxious about Banshees. Around the corner came four Banshees, their plasma cannons shining with green energy.

The plasma bolts never found its mark when all four Banshees were flipped into the air. The tank crew watched as a lone figure flew overhead. Roscoe aimed his Imperator at the back of the cannon and launched a Bloomer missile. The missile latched itself to the exposed vents and promptly exploded. "The first target is down, moving to the second target"

While flying toward the second target, Roscoe narrowly dodged an incoming plasma bolt. Unlike the first one, the Covenant forces here were much more prepared. The skies became filled with the smell of ozone as the Covenant tried to bring down the pesky threat. "Well, guess I have no choice." The Rhino didn't want to use this ability as it was too destructive. He flew up before launching the Elytron's ultimate weapon. The Warhead streaked toward the Tyrant and exploded on impact. Both the AA Wraith and Tyrant went up in flames.

Roscoe returned to the Railjack and headed to the command center. "Operator, Noble Team is en route to the supercarrier via Sabres. Beginning liftoff" The Railjack shot through the yellow sky. Eventually, it gave way to the pitch darkness of space. On the port side, the crew could see the supercarrier trying to fend off the three frigates. The _Grafton_ had some burns on its front armor while the _Saratoga_ had some burns on its starboard side. On the other hand, the _Savannah_ was still unscathed.

Through the magnified view screen, Jack could see the Sabres in a nasty dogfight with the Seraphs. It wasn't that the Sabre was weak. Despite being a prototype starfighter, it had decent energy shieldings and directed energy weapons.

"Silver One, this is Noble Six. We are preparing to board the supercarrier. Where are you?"

Roscoe tapped his compiece as he speed-walked to the entrance bay. "On the way, Six. Send me the location. Silver Team, on me!"

"Bomb is ready, sir" said the Revenant. The Rhino nodded and all four Warframes jumped off the platform. Almost immediately, the archwings were clipped to their waist, allowing oxygen into their Warframes. Going near supersonic speed, they deftly dodged any starfighters in their way. Roscoe could see two Sabres floating outside the supercarrier's hangar bay. The Warframes detached themselves from their archwings and curled into a ball, allowing their momentum to carry them forward. They pierced the energy shields and landed with a slide.

There was gunfire near the bay's entrance. Rylan saw the two Spartans fighting through a horde of Unggoy grunts. He bullet-jumped toward them and casted Enthrall on a nearby Unggoy. The Unggoy's eyes glowed bluish-green and attacked his fellow teammates. They too became infected by the ability. A loud scream was heard and the Unggoys backed off, intimidated by the shrill scream. For the Spartans, it was if the scream empowered them. They felt more confident about succeeding the mission and emptied their bullets.

A pile of dead Unggoy grunts was the result of the skirmish. Both Spartan and Tenno ran over the body, ignoring the trail of bloody foot trails they left behind. At the end of the hallway was a large circular atrium. A variety of Covenant soldiers, from Sangheili Special Ops to Brutes, were waiting to be deployed. From their vantage point, it was estimated to be at least 2000 soldiers.

"We will clear the atrium and you two plant and arm the bomb. Clear?" The two Spartans nodded, "Crystal, sir". And with that, the Warframes jumped into the atrium.

Jack was the first to land. The moment he landed, he summoned a Snow Globe. The water vapor froze and a whirl wind swept the ice in a tight circular pattern. Those near the swirling snow were shocked when they saw frostbite forming on their armor and exposed skin. Immediately, they stepped back from the snowstorm. Raising his left hand in the air, the Frost Prime curled his hand into a fist and slammed it into the ground. A gust of chilling wind spread outward before everyone was frozen in ice. Jack then moved his left hand horizontally and the frozen soldiers shattered.

Meanwhile, Rylan was vaporizing people to ashes. Through his Danse Macabre ability, he was a slow revolving mass of lasers. The nine laser beams emanating from his body were condensed Eidolon energy. Such a high concentration would kill a person in seconds, as it would destroy the person at the molecular level. With Memsmer Skin on, none of their plasma shots hurt him as it was vaporized by Eidolon energy.

The heat scorched the indigo colored metallic flooring, turning it into a black, obsidian-like floor. Through the flames, the Sangeheli saw a armored hunched humanoid figure walking towards them slowly. To their horror, its back and shoulder peeled itself from the figure. It sprouted ethereal wings and steam rose from its 'mouth'. The figure rolled its shoulder and leapt toward with a screech, flames billowing from both its winged companion and its master.

Unlike their companions who were frozen, vaporized or outright burnt to death; some were experiencing the most strangest phenomenon. They were in the air and falling. However, they were falling very slowly. Slow enough they could watch the battle in slow motion. From their perspective, everything was finely detailed. From the shine of their polished armor to the crystalline Needler shards, the Sangheli and Jirahanae felt they had an epiphany of sorts. But for most of them, the epiphany didn't last as they were shot in mid-air from the somewhat overly muscular figure covered in metal.

Up in the balcony, Carter-A259 and Spartan B312 watched as the carnage unfolded. Carter has having serious doubts about his own fighting ability. Sure, he was a superhuman soldier. He had enhanced strength and agility. His senses were heightened beyond the normal human range. Yet, he felt like an insect. These beings' power were beyond what was normal.

_**It was inhuman. **_

His daydream was interrupted by an angry shout.

"Oi, get down here, NOW"

The armored dragon-like being yelled up to the three of them. Jumping toward the atrium, they landed in a crash. Thankfully, their armor lock was active, thus rendering the users harmless. After a second, the Spartans were able to move again. Weaving through the ensuing chaos, they reached jack and started to plant the bomb. Carter flipped the satellite rods up on the side of the bomb while B312 keyed in the timer. Finally, flipping over a black plastic cover, B312's finger stabbed the red button.

"Bomb is armed. Thirty. Twenty nine. Twenty eight…" spoke a female computerized voice.

The four Tenno and two Spartans began to run to the hangar bay. Diving past some crates and a half-built Banshee, Fireteam Silver gave covering fire to the two Spartans as they boarded their Sabres.

With the Sabres speeding away from the frigate, it was time they too left the doomed vessel. As the Warframes sped through space, a shockwave was felt. Roscoe turned his head for a moment. The midsection part of the ship was engulfed in a redish-white light. The front and backend part slowly drifted off.

A cry of panic was heard through the com system. "What happened, Jack? Why is it on broadcasting fleetwide?"

"Just listen, Roscoe." A buzz of static was replaced by two voices, one a human male voice and the other a female computerized voice.

"Auntie Dot, are you seeing this?" said the male voice

"Yes, I am detecting Slipspace energy traces. Multiple energy signatures growing exponentially. Rupture in one second."

A black purpish hole ripped open space and a Covenant destroyer exited from the hole. "Slipspace rupture detected" Soon, more holes began to appear in an increasing rate. Auntie Dot's voice repeated the same message over and over.

Without a doubt, the oldest Tenno knew something worse had happened. It was something no warrior ever wants to admit. But in the end, it is inevitable and they must swallow the bitter pill called the truth.

On August 14, 2552, Reach had fallen at 12:48 am. The battle to save humanity's strongest fortress in the stars was over. Only two things would remain on the planet: Mountains of corpses and fields of glass.

* * *

Archwing Abilities Used: Bloom and Warhead

Warframe Abilities: Snow Globe, Avalanche, Danse Macabre, Mesmer Skin, Vex Armor, Effigy, Rhino Stomp, Iron Skin

* * *

Tell me what you think of the chapter. As always, I look forward to your comments, questions and/or criticism

\- The Phantom Traveler


	16. Field of Glass

Ch.16: Field of Glass

* * *

Epsilon Eridani System, Reach

August 23, 2552 / 1534 am

New Alexandria, Eposz

* * *

Unlike traditional cities, which was a mix of traditions, New Alexandria was a prefabricated city. It meant that everything, from plumbing to the buildings' design, was already determined beforehand. Despite the flaw, the city was known as one of humanity's busiest trading cities. It was also home to UNSC's FLEETCOM HQ and ONI's HQ, Olympic Tower.

Ever since Operation UPPER CUT, the Plantagenet had been running around the planet, supporting ground forces and transporting wounded soldiers to the hospitals. In the small 'living room', which was really a semi-circle diner-style table, Lt. Lambert stared at her computer.

With a hidden backdoor to the Covenant battlenet, she had a prime opportunity to show off her skills. She typed a few more lines of code before summoning the Cephalon. "Ordis, run the simulation."

"As you wish, Lieutenant." A blue holographic screen materialized in front of her. A spider web appeared on the left side of the screen. The spider web represented the Covenant battlenet. There several small circles, which were the nodes. On the right were twelve pictures of either Covenant destroyers or cruisers. Each ship was labelled with their name and shipmaster. There was one particular ship she wanted her virus to infect. She made a quick prayer and activated the virus.

A shade of white started to flow from the dot and through the spiderweb. At three minutes, the nodes were filled up. From there, the virus would try to infiltrate the NAV computer. Its progress was marked by the ships' symbol and percentage bar. The symbol would start at red and slowly become green. Meanwhile, the percentage started 0% and end at 100%.

The last two ships' Covenant battlenet was tough. The percentage bar was at 85% and 79% respectively. A bright red 'ERROR/FAIL' message popped out and she sighed in frustration. She had made major improvements to the program. Yet, she was nowhere close. If she couldn't hack his ship, then all would be lost.

On the intercom, Ordis spoke, "Operators, prepare for insertion in one minute. We have arrived at our LZ."

The Railjack landed near a hill and the Tenno jumped out. Near them was SPARTAN B132, who had disembarked from his Pelican transport. He nodded to the Tenno before motioning to them to follow him.

As they ran toward the city, the grey armored supersoldier gave a brief report on New Alexandria's situation. After learning that the UNSC and ONI had headquarters in the city, a Jiralhanae-led task force was sent to capture and glass the city. There was little time for a complete evacuation and the spaceport would be targeted by the Covenant's plasma emitters.

"Our objective is to evacuate the civilians and regroup with any UNSC survivors, sir. Any questions?" said the Spartan. Carson raised his hand. "What about AA defenses? There has to be some defenses left, right?" Checking his TACPAD, Six nodded and pointed in a direction. "About three miles in that direction is Caracalla Park. There are two AA missile batteries down there. You will need to speak to Sergeant Major Duvall there."

Both the Revenant and Chroma Warframe nodded. "Understood, we will be going now." Summoning their archwings, they departed toward the park with a burst of speed. "This way, sirs"

Overhead, two Falcons and a Broadsword flew over the trio, heading to Traxus Tower. On the com channel, a voice could be heard.

"This is Kilo Dispatch: all available teams, head to Traxus Tower. Evacuation will commence ASAP."

The trio jogged toward the tower, passing dead civilians and disturbing some birds. Jack grimaced at the bodies. After going through a destroyed building, they encountered a group of suicide Grunts. They were eliminated before they reached the trio. Entering the building's basement, Roscoe saw a Spirit dropship open its troop bay, revealing Brutes inside. The Rhino ran toward the civilians bullet-jumped toward a mother and her son. Activating his Iron Skin midway, he shielded them. The young boy cried, shutting his eyes, only to open them later. He stared at the humongous figure. "Go!" said the figure. Both mother and son ran toward the soldiers.

A wave of ice froze the Brutes before they could fire their Spikers. Jack stretched his fingers and walked back to the soldiers. The two soldiers aimed their battle rifles at the Warframes. "Identify yourselves, now! Not one more step." A click was heard and the Tenno stopped.

"Captain Roscoe. IFF tag designation: Silver Zero-One. CO: Vice Admiral Whitcomb" said Roscoe.

"Commander Jack. IFF tag designation: Silver Zero-Two. CO: Vice Admiral Whitcomb" replied Jack.

"Trooper, stand down. They are with me." One of them turned his head to see the Spartan. "Holy shit, a Spartan? Where did you come from?"

"That doesn't matter." The trooper checked his HUD eyepiece. He nodded and pointed his gun down. "IFF tags check out. You guys are with the Vice Admiral?"

"Yep, we are an independent task-force under his command. We need to get going now." the Rhino headed straight to the elevator and stabbed the button. He looked back at the soldier and stared at his chest. On it was the insignia of the Captain rank. "I might need to modify it with in-built IFF scanners." the Rhino thought to himself. Twelve minutes later, he stabbed the button again.

"What's taking so long, Duvall?" asked Roscoe. The radio squawked to life. "We are transporting civilians down here too. Hold on a little longer, I promise."

A scout ran into the basement, panting as he spoke. "Phantoms inbound. Four of them. Get to cover!" The six of them ran toward whatever cover remained. Roscoe crouched behind a half-destroyed concrete pillar and peeked around the corner. The Phantoms' dropbay discharged its load, where a mix of Covenant soldiers stood in the courtyard.

After five seconds, he charged toward the soldiers. The Sangheili, shocked by the sudden charge, pellets the enemy with plasma shots. It barely hurt as its splashed harmless against the metallic outer skin. Roscoe slid past them and shot their jaws. From the corner of his right eye, he saw a plasma sword swing toward him. He rolled past the swing and palm-fisted a Sanghheli's left hand, causing the reptilian warrior to drop his plasma sword. Unsheathe his dragon nikana with his right hand, the plasma sword hissed to life in his left hand. He pointed his katana at the soldiers and flicked it slightly.

Jack gave a low whistle and whispered "Here we go"

Every Covenant soldier roared and unleashed everything they had. However, the Rhino charged through the barrage and began cutting them down, like the Grim Reaper. Heads were slashed from necks and chests were stabbed. The others supported him by firing any soldier he missed.

"Ding" The elevator doors opened and everyone rushed in. About two miles down the road was the spaceport. At the cargo hold were two Warthogs. The civilians and soldiers got the first one, while the Spartan and the Tenno were in the second one. After ensuring no one was left behind, they drove to the spaceport.

Every ship available, from military Pelicans to cargo ships were filled to the brim with civilians. Above the spaceport loomed the Covenant corvette. To the east was Caracalla Park, where two certain Warframes were trying to restart the missile battery's system.

"Gosh, I wished I packed my toolkit. I will have to use my Castana as a substitute." Rylan pulled out one and deactivated its electrical charge. He reversed his grip, using the handle to turn the screw left. Then, he did the same for the three other screws. Prying the metal grill away revealed an assortment of mismatched wires.

"Oh good. At least it wasn't fried to pieces." He immediately reconnected the mismatched wires with the correct ones. He rescrewed the grill and rushed to the nearby console. Carson had finished the preliminary procedures and handed over control to the Railjack engineer chief.

The battery rose slowly and stopped. It turned its head and pointed toward the corvette. A few meters away was the second battery. Unlike the first battery, the console was having computer issues and needed a hard reboot.

Unfortunately, a Phantom troop carrier decided to interfere with them. Carson sighed and walked over to the carrier casually. Rylan turned off the battery and ran to the power box. He flipped the switch and restarted the power. A scream momentarily distracted him, as he watched the Unggoy grunts get burned by electrical fire. He ran to the console and started the preliminary procedure.

"System BIOS is green...missile status is good...pivot axis is functional...lock-on system ready" Rylan muttered as he pressed as various buttons. He stabbed one final button, activating the missile control. It too rose up and aimed toward the corvette. The Archer missiles streaked toward the corvette, the explosions rippling across its shield. It began to retreat, rising toward the clouds.

"All ships, you are clear to evacuate. I repeat, _you are clear to evacuate!_" Dozens of ships rose to the sky and fled the planet, hoping to find refuge elsewhere in the Core System. Duvall walked over to the Rhino Warframe and saluted him. Roscoe returned the salute.

"I have to say, your pals gave us a fright. I didn't know they were allies until we checked their IFF tags." Duvall said. Roscoe nodded in response. "I encountered something similar on the way here." The sergeant major shrugged and rallied his men to the Pelicans. He turned to the Rhino and extended his hand. "Until next time, Captain" He shook both Jack's and Six's hand, then departed in the last Pelican transport.

A buzz on the TACPAD alerted an incoming transmission. The Spartan pressed a button and the transmission came through.

"This is Noble Two. Noble Six, do you read me? Do you have Silver Team with you?"

Six replied, "Copy, Two. Silver Team is with me. What's the situation?"

"We have too many enemies in the area. Right now, we assisting Gunnery Sergeant Buck to extract his squad. His orders are classified."

There was the sound of gunfire overlapping in the transmission. Roscoe could hear her shout to Noble Five, something like "Keep them off our backs!" in the background. She continued her transmission, but in a hasty manner.

"Rendezvous at Olympic Tower. Noble Two out" On a nearby platform was a lone Falcon transport. "Let's move it, people" The five of them ran to the transport. Six jumped into the pilot's seat and initiate the flight-ready system. Meanwhile, the Tenno climbed onto the transport. Roscoe and Rylan sat on the left side, while Carson and jack sat on the right. The rotors roared to life and the transport made its way to Olympic Tower.

* * *

Olympic Tower

Jun-A266 watched the skies for any incoming aerial fighters. He was hidden underneath the ruins of a landing platform. The platform itself was tilted to the right side, wires hanging off its edge. However, the structure was still holding and provided good cover for Noble Team's sniper. He took a small peek over his vantage point and sighed sadly. New Alexandria was one of his favorite places. He had hoped to stay in the city when he retired. Unfortunately, that plan was scrambled for good.

Once again, he looked through the scope of his sniper rifle. About 500 meters away, he could see a Falcon transport heading toward the tower. He clicked his com piece and spoke.

"This is Noble Three to Falcon transport. Identify yourself." A response came from the approaching aircraft.

"This is Noble Six, I have Silver Team with me." Through his scope, he could see Six in the cockpit. Jun responded, "Copy. Clear for landing airpad." The Falcon transport hovered over the landing pad and landed. As the rotors powered down, its passengers and pilot left the transport.

Noble Four and Five were sitting next on the ground. At the left corner was Noble One and Two. The intelligence specialist was fiddling with a console, trying to lock-onto any open frequencies. She hissed in frustration, while the team leader watched from behind. He turned to greet the new arrivals.

"Six, Silver Team, good to see you" Roscoe nodded and said, "Likewise, Commander" Noble Two turned around immediately , eyes widened, "Carter, I got a transmission on open frequency. It's Colonel Holland."

Carter paused to think. If they answered it, the Covenant would know exactly where they wee. However, if they didn't answer the transmission, they would have no objective. He looked up and nodded, "Patch it through, Kat". Kat stared, unsure if this was a good idea. "Understood, sir" She pressed the button and Holland's voice came through.

"...on an open frequency. Noble Team, do you - ?" Carter interrupted the colonel midway through his sentence. "Noble One copies. Orders, sir?" Carter really wanted the orders to be really short. If the colonel spoke more than thirty seconds, they were potted. "Torch and burn op at SWORD Base. Holland out" The transmission cut to static. "All right, we need to move, NOW" said Kat. During the brief transmission, she had looked for any traces of Covenant cruisers via binoculars. "They are glassing the city, right now. Sublevel Two has a fallout shelter." A quick patter of feet signaled that the two teams hurrying to the elevators.

Exiting the elevators, they could see the massive black doors of the fallout shelter. Some civilians were inside, waiting for any other survivors. Kat was in the middle of talking to Six when a crack was heard. The back of her exploded as the needler shard entered her skull and exited out her face. Overhead was an Sangheili Field marshal, riding a Banshee. Nearly everyone opened fire on him. He weaved through the rubble and disappeared.

The rest of Noble Team started to chase the Sangheili before they were stopped by Jack. "Guys, stop. We need to get to the shelter." Noble Four protested. "Did you not see what that bastard did. I don't give a f-" The back of his head was smacked by Noble Three's hand. "He's right. The least we can do is to avenge her." Six lifted her body and walked to the shelter. The others followed. As the last person entered the shelter, the doors shut.

Three days later, the doors reopened. Noble Five walked and snapped open a signal flare. Dropping it to the ground, he saw two transport heading toward them in the distance. One was an unknown white ship, the other was a Pelican transport.

Roscoe activated his archwing and flew up into the air. He surveyed the ruined city and took out his scanner. Setting it to the 'Record' function, he slowly turned his body, capturing a 360 degree panoramic view of New Alexandria. All he could see were tall glass structures everywhere. He flew back down to the survivors.

After Silver and Noble Team boarded their respective craft, both transports headed to SWORD Base.


	17. Gamma Station and the Package

Ch.17: Gamma Station and the Package

* * *

Epsilon Eridani System, Reach

August 29, 2552 / 0616 am

Near Gamma Station

* * *

"I can no longer protect this station, Captain Keyes. In accordance with the Cole Protocol, Article II, I will self-destruct." The transmission ended abruptly with static. Keyes chewed on his corncob pipe and struck a match. Placing some tobacco in the pipe, he lit the tobacco and smoked for a while.

He turned to his console and stabbed the intercom button. "Bridge to Hangar Bay. Send Blue Team up here ASAP" The hangar bay chief responded immediately. "Yes, sir. Blue Team is on the way."

Four minutes later, three Spartan-IIs were on the bridge, their dull green paint shining under the bright lights. "Sir?" asked the Master Chief. Keyes turned toward him and puffed on his pipe.

"Gamma Station had been overrunned by the Covenant are attempting to take the _Circumference_'s NAV computer. By force. The AI in charge of Gamma Station was unable to purge the data. He later self-destructed. I need your team to destroy the NAV computer and rescue any survivors."

"Yes, sir. We will be departing soon. Blue Team, prep for mission" The four supersoldiers walked to the elevator, which would take them to the armory. Each Spartan grabbed an MA5B assault rifle, a Magnum pistol and a few frag grenades.

The Master Chief chambered the armor piercing rounds in his assault rifle and flicked the safety switch on. Each of his team members were ready for the mission. They headed out to the hangar bay, where a Pelican was waiting for them. After attaching a pile of C-12 explosives to the nose, John piloted the Pelican and flew out of the hangar bay. A few kilometers away was Gamma Station. All he had was ram the nose into the station's side, rescue any survivors and destroy the NAV computer.

A large blip appeared on the radar. John looked to his left as a Covenant corvette exited from slipspace. He quickly killed the engines to prevent detection. The Pelican spun, its tail pointed at the station. Two more shockwaves marked the arrival of Covenant reinforcements.

At the rate of their acceleration, the Pelican would crash right into the station. John had no choice but to activate the thrusters to slow them down. The thrusters flared, slowing down the Pelican. But, it was too late. With a grinding crash, Blue Team was propelled to the Pelican's rear.

Supply crates were strewn about on the floor. John got up and shook his head slightly. So far, nothing bad was happening. He quickly helped Linda and James to their feet. As they grabbed their weapons, he saw landing pods coming toward them.

"Linda! James! Get to cover!" Linda ran to a pillar and crouched waiting for the enemies. However, James wasn't lucky. A Needler missile hit the Pelican, causing it to explode. James was sucked into the void, tumbling away into darkness.

The Master Chief didn't have time to grieve. As Unggoys and Kig-Yar Rangers charged toward the duo, the two Spartans fired everything they had. Against the wall. Linda tapped the console and the door opened. Once inside, they sealed the shut blowing up the console. As they ran through the corridor, the Chief laid and armed the Lotus mine, in case they had any followers.

After running down two decks below, they encountered survivors. Hiding behind railings were five Marines. Their CO was wearing the traditional Army cap. In the distance, he saw the Spartans and waved his hand. The Spartans flashed their lights twice, acknowledging him. Linda stayed where she was picked off the Unggoy grunts with her assault rifle. Meanwhile, John ran over to the Marines. The Marines wearing the cap grinned at the Chief.

"Fine day for a firefight, eh, Spartan?" he asked.

John shrugged. "I have had better days, Sargent …"

The sargent finished John's sentence and extended his hand. "Johnson, Spartan. Its Sargent Johnson" John shook his hand and looked over the railing. There were still some Unggoys on the field.

"Sir, have your men tighten their fire. That way, they can pick off the Unggoys more precisely" Johnson nodded and asked, "What's your name, Spartan?" The supersoldier vaulted over the railing ran toward the Pelican. "You can call me Master Chief"

The Chief ran to the Pelican and boarded the pilot seat. The Pelican rose up and started to engage the Unggoys. A few seconds later, the Unggoys were dead and the Pelican flew out into space. Docked with the station was the UNSC _Circumference_, an ONI prowler. Two missiles destroyed the Prowler's bridge. The Chief sealed his suit and exited the Pelican. Pushing himself to the navigation room, he found the NAV computer. Raising his assault rifle, he emptied the clip into the computer. Sparks flew as it was destroyed. The chief slapped a small amount of C-12 putty and left, before detonating it. With the computer now gone, he needed to get back to the _Pillar of Autumn_.

When he returned to the docking bay, he saw the Marines and Linda at the railings. He opened fire on the Covenant, emptying the machine gun rounds. Once the machine gun ran out, he turned the Pelican and opened the cargo bay.

"Get inside!" The Marines scrambled toward the Pelican. Linda was the last one to board the Pelican. However, Covenant reinforcements had arrived in time. Needler shots pierced the Spartan's MJOLNIR armor. She grunted as she hit the hard metal floor. The cargo bay door sealed shut and Johnson left Gamma Station's docking bay.

On the way to the _Pillar of Autumn_, John was in shock. He nudged Linda's shoulders. There was no response. He grabbed the emergency kit and ripped the cover open. Injecting the meager amount of biofoam into the armor, he watched the foam spreading over the bloody injuries.

From the time the Pelican landed in the Halcyon-class light cruiser's hangar bay, everything was a blur. Linda being rushed from the Pelican, her being placed in cryosleep and debriefing to Captain Keyes. Although John was ordered for immediate cryosleep, there was one more errand he needed to do.

The Spartan walked up to one of the bridge officers and gave a quick salute. Lieutenant Hall was responsible for processing communication requests. She gave a curt nod to the supersoldier before asking him.

"Any requests, Spartan?"

"Yes, I would like to scan for a specific FOF signal, Lieutenant"

She nodded and sat back down, John watching over her shoulder. As she keyed in the specific FOF wavelength, the Spartan prayed his friend was alive out there. He expected him to be unconscious, but alive.

The communication officer sent out a ping and waited for a response. There was silence between the two of them. A bright message in red appeared. "Wavelength Undetected" Hall turned to the Spartan.

"I'm sorry, sir. I pushed the scan to its maximum reach. If you want, I can - "

An armored hand rose up, silencing her. "Thank you for help, Lieutenant" He walked back to the elevator and departed for the cryopod station.

Back on the bridge, the pilots had set random coordinates for a slipspace jump. The jump was scheduled to begin soon. As the reactor began to power up for the jump, an incoming transmission was received. At first, Keyes frowned at the transmission, only to breathe sharply when he saw who made the transmission.

Momentraily leaving the bridge, he went to his private quarters, where he allowed the transmission to come in. The azure holographic image of Dr. Catherine Halsey appeared. She seemed agitated, as if unable to keep calm.

"Thank God it went through,'' she muttered, "Captain Keyes, I have an urgent request for you."

Keyes leaned back in his leather chair, arms crossed over his white dress uniform. "And that is?" he said.

Halsey swallowed before continuing. "I need you to land at the Aszod ship-breaking yard immediately. I have men who are transporting an important package to you. She will help you in Operation RED FLAG."

Keyes sighed and muted Dr. Halsey. Yes, it was risky that they were landing on the planet. Any surviving UNSC personnel would go straight to the shipyard, with the Covenant following close behind. That meant dozens of cruisers and destroyers would try to intercept or ambush the _Pillar of Autumn_ at any time.

However, the crew would be able to repair the ship or procure any last minute supplies. That was more important at the moment. He unmuted the doctor. "All right, I will land the Pillar of Autumn at Aszod. The moment I receive your 'package', I'm leaving Reach." The doctor nodded. "Understood, Captain. Good luck" The transmission was cut before Keyes could reply.

Opening a com channel to the bridge, Keyes ordered the pilots to cancel the slipspace jump and head to Aszod.

* * *

August 29, 2552 / 0800 am

Outside SWORD Base

* * *

In the distance, SWORD Base stood proudly against a background of fiery red skies and a wall of fire. There were five Banshees circling around the tall atrium, watching for any would-be intruders. Elites and Unggoys walked about the base's courtyard, bored out of their minds. Had they looked up, they would have noticed a drone watching them.

Two miles south of SWORD Base were Silver and Noble Team. Looking over Six's shoulder, Roscoe examined the grainy footage that was broadcasted via drone. The Banshees could taken out by Archwings and the foot soldiers could be dealt with easily. What worried Roscoe more was what was underneath the ONI research facility.

Apparently, ONI had discovered an unknown alien ship buried in the ice shelf. It became imperative that researchers were needed at the ice shelf. Hence, SWORD Base was established as the main ONI research facility on Reach.

"Everything ready, Noble One?" said Roscoe. Noble Team's commander nodded. Both the Pelican and Railjack had landed near an abandoned warehouse near SWORD Base. Although the warehouse was empty, someone had left behind two workable Scorpion tanks. Its armor was dinged, but it was still operational.

With the remainder of Noble Team split up into two tanks, the Tenno decided to split up as well. Roscoe and Carson would stay with the tanks, while Rylan and Jack provided air support via Archwing.

Grabbing the railings near the tank's rear, Roscoe slammed his fist against the armor three times. The two tanks began to move toward the base, while their air support was above them. About 600 meters away from the main entrance, three Banshees started to dive toward them.

A plume of smoke came from the tanks' barrel as the shell flew toward the Banshees.

The Banshees' pilots deftly avoided the oncoming shells, pelting the tanks with green plasma energy bolts. Passing the tanks overhead, they turned around and dived once again. Both the Chroma and Rhino Warframe were shooting the third Banshee, who was circling the tanks.

It's front side was pockmarked with small holes from Roscoe's Tiberon rifle and Carson's Gorgon Wraith machine gun. A cluster of homing missiles ended the Banshee as it blew up. Carson looked up to see the Banshees evade the rest of the incoming missiles. The two Archwings pursue their prey relentlessly, unfazed by the intricate evasive maneuvers.

"Don't worry, they can take care of it." assured the Rhino. A muffled voice responded from inside the tank. "All right then." The two tanks chugged toward the main entrance and were greeted by a variety of plasma and Needler shots.

As the tanks fired their shells, the two Tenno grabbed whatever Covenant weapons was lying on the ground. Armed with two plasma swords, Roscoe leapt toward a group of Sangheli and sliced their heads off. Meanwhile, Carson took out some Unggoys with a plasma rifle. Ten minutes later, the Covenant forces in the courtyard were eliminated. Noble Three and Five ran to the two AA auto turrets and activated them. It would protect the base for a few minutes.

Shutting the main entrance gate behind them, the two team proceeded toward the maintenance bay and climbed the catwalks. It was uneventful, with the occasional skirmish against any Covenant forces inside the base. The two teams reached their destination, a closed door.

The door hissed open, only to reveal a cluster of dead bodies, destroyed equipment, some hastily made sandbags defense and unmanned turret. Confused, Carson nudged Noble Three's right shoulder.

"Sure this is the right place? It's bloody dead end." he whispered.

The sniper shrugged "I don't know, Silver Three. The AI is acting up." In front of them, Carter was consulting with Auntie Dot via TACPAD. Like the rest, he was confused as well. Why would the AI lead to them to dead end?

"Dot, check your vector" asked the commander.

"Vector confirmed. Commander, we are precisely where ONI has directed-"

There was a short pause before the AI spoke again.

"Apologies. Coordinates revised. Please confirm?"

Now, Carter was even more suspicious of Auntie Dot. First, the dead end. Now, a change in coordinates. He looked at his TACPAD to confirm the new coordinates. He stared at the coordinates in complete disbelief.

"Who revised this, Dot?" demanded the commander, who was now slightly impatient.

"By an AI of an unknown origin. Her clearance is well above my own." stated Auntie Dot.

"Sir, if I am reading this right,'' interjected Roscoe, "You are asking us to go down two thousand feet underground."

Jun also interrupted Carter. "We should go AI-free on this one. The coordinates are junk and who knows how we will-" A sudden grinding noise silenced Jun. Raising their weapons, they looked around the room. A wall opened, revealing a dark tunnel. Noble Four took point, securing the way ahead.

"Well, we came this far." said Carter. The two teams followed Noble Four as they entered the tunnel. Finding a tram at the end of the tunnel, they boarded it and began to move. Near the top right corner was a security camera.

A hologram image image appeared in front of Carter. The woman appeared to be in her mid-fifties, her white hair combed back. She wore a white parka and blue gloves, her pants and boots black. Her name badge was near her right breast, the words 'C. HALSEY' in bold.

"I apologize for the unusual security protocol, Commander Carter, Captain Roscoe." She nodded to each commanding officer as she spoke their names. Carson cocked his head sideways slightly, point at the woman.

"The casualty report said you were -" Dr. Halsey waved her hands and chuckled. "It seems my death has been greatly exaggerated." She continued her speech before any one could interrupt.

"The data module Silver and Gold Team procured from Visegrad Station has aided me in decrypting the secrets of this excavation. I am currently decrypting the information as we speak. Both teams are to buy me time so the decryption can finish."

"Doctor, I will need to confirm this directive with command -"

"Both the Colonel and Vice Admiral have been notified, Roscoe." The hologram disappeared afterwards.

The tram stopped and the gate opened. Before them was a huge alien spacecraft. Some crumbling sounds shift their attention to a few falling boulders falling from the cave's ceiling. Some few meters in the distance was Halsey's lab. A metal bridge spanned the length of the gap.

Around the lab were some sandbag fortifications and four Wolf Spider turrets. Six activated the turrets and the rest of Noble Team hid behind the sandbags. Emile noticed the two bulky figures, standing in front of the bridge.

"Get over, you guys! Are you crazy?" They didn't answer him. They simply stared at the ceiling. A mighty crack was heard as the Covenant dropships began descending. Spirits and Phantoms began depositing Jiralhanae, Kig-Yar and Unggoys near the tram. Raising their weapons, the Tenno started firing at them. The sounds of ricochet and sizzling plasma bolts echoed throughout the cave. Over and over, more dropships deposited reinforcements. Those reinforcements would killed by either rifle fire or by a Warframe's ability.

Kig-Yars and Unggoys were burnt to death by electric fire, their singed corpses filling the air with a sick pungent odor. Jiralhanaes were Rhino Charged to their deaths. Both Tenno were exhausted, but not out of energy. Placing down a Large Energy Revive, the blue pulses restored their Warframes' energy.

"They just don't stop coming, eh, Roscoe?" siad Carson. He coughed while he spoke. Roscoe slammed his fists together and roared, the effects of Rhino Roar washing away his exhaustion.

"Let them come. They are nothing but pests compared to them."

"Sure, we could annihilate them all. But, we are at our limit. No more ammo for our rifles or pistols. Even with Covenant weaponry, we can't kill them all. They will pile on until we are crushed or unmovable." Carson stretched his arms out as the humming of Spirit and Phantoms grew louder.

Jorge relayed an update from Haley. "Almost done. 95.7% complete. Hold out a little longer." Grabbing a Needler and a plasma pistol, Roscoe holstered the pistol on his right thigh and raised the Needler. Prying a Slicer off a dead Jiralhanae, Carson gripped it as hard as he could.

Near the base, the rest of Noble Team were less exhausted than their Tenno counterpart. All they had done was either take out any grunts that had slipped past the Tenno or any incoming dropships.

As usual, the dropships deposited their troops near the tram and the Tenno dalt with them. However, a dropship flew past the Tenno and deposited its troops right in front of the Spartan-IIIs. "Well, we might be in trouble this time." thought Jorge.

Three Sangheli Special Ops warriors surrounded a Sangheli General. That meant serious business. A general was the strongest Sangheili and armed with better weapons. The Wolf Spider turrets focused their fire on the Sangheili bodyguards. One was ripped to pieces by Jorge's beloved Etilika. The other two bodyguards were either killed by Jun's headshot ot Emile's shotgun.

The General roared and equipped two Plasma Swords. He began to swing them at anyone who dared to come toward him. Only the turrets were attacking him, but the damage was negligible. On the other side, Roscoe fire his last Needler shot into a Jiralhanae's chest. Grabbing two plasma rifles, he rushed across the bridge, firing both rifles at the General. The Sangheili slowly walked toward the Rhino before running toward him. Sliding under the General, Roscoe rolled toward his left and Rhino-Charged the General off the cliff.

The General roared as he fell into the dark abyss. Roscoe would have joined him as well if he wasn't saved by Carter, who managed to yank him from the edge. The Rhino felled down, a bit dazed from what had just happened.

Halsey's voice was heard from the intercom: "Decryption is complete. Hurry." The door hissed open, granting entry to the weary fireteams. Walking through the dark corridors, the fireteams discovered the doctor, who was standing in front of a holotank. She seemed to be talking to someone. Afterwards, she disconnected the holotank and pulled out the data storage unit.

"Your mission is to deliver this package to the Halcyon-class cruiser, the _Pillar of Autumn_, at the ship-breaking yard in Aszod. They will take her offplanet."

She then walked passed the Carter and stopped in front of Six. Carter nodded and Six place his hands on the storage unit.

"Do you have it?" she asked.

Six responded with an affirmative 'Yes'. However, it appeared Halsey was unconvinced by his answer.

"Say the words, please" she responded.

"I have it"

Walking through a carved tunnel, they reached the landing pad, where two Pelicans were waiting. The _Plantagenet_ was hovering near the right side of the pad. Halsey looked at the starship, intrigued by its design and size.

Noble Three and Five will escort you to CASTLE Base, Doctor" responded Carter. Halsey's eyebrows furrowed in discontent as she boarded the Pelican.

"I can manage by myself, Commander" she said as she strapped on her harness.

"Jun, Jorge, make sure nothing falls into enemy hands." said Carter. Both Jun and Jorge nodded. They too also boarded Halsey's Pelican. The rest of Noble Team climbed onto the second Pelican. Carter entered the pilot's seat and activated the Pelican's systems.

"Dot, I need a heading" asked Carter as he went through the preflight procedure.

"Three kilometers, due north, bearing zero-five-zero" said the AI.

On their left, the Railjack began to move in the said direction. "We will clear out as much Covenant forces as possible, Noble One." responded Roscoe. "Follow us after ten minutes, you will have less enemies to deal with." In seconds, the Railjack became a small dot on the horizon.

"Copy, Silver One" Setting a timer, Carter waited. He could hear the din of explosions in the direction. After the timer beeped, the last Pelican left the abandoned ONI research facility. A series of explosions sealed the alien starship and SWORD Base, with rushing waters flooding the excavation site.


	18. Runaway Starships

Ch.18: Runaway Starships

* * *

Epsilon Eridani System, Reach

August 30, 2552 / 1245 am

Aszod Ship-Breaking Yard, Landing Platform Omega

* * *

Their forces were spread out too thin. The remnants of the UNSC forces had gathered to the last evacuation point. However, it also brought the Covenant as well. Dozens of destroyers hovered over the yard, ready to intercept any escaping starship. Keyes stared upward at the destroyers. Although they had a Mass Onager cannon, it couldn't take all of them down. Some of them would inevitably escape and pursue the _Autumn_.

He picked up his binoculars and looked out toward the distance. Sure enough,he could see the Plantagenet firing its bottom turret at a Scarab, blowing it to pieces. Its side turrets took out any unlucky infantry forces or vehicles in its path. Two small figures were flying about, shooting at any AA turrets. Keyes couldn't tell who was flying the Archwing, but that didn't matter.

He grabbed a two-way radio and pressed the transmit button. "I want a Pelican ready to go. We will be leaving shortly." He was answered by an affirmative "Yes, sir" and set the radio down.

At the current rate, they had eliminated about half of the force. Assuming there were no more Scarabs or AA turrets, Noble Team could fly straight to the platform without a scratch on the Pelican. "Check your areas. I don't want to see a single scratch on the Pelican, you hear me?" said Jack. The other crew members grunted as they checked the area via scanning ports.

"Carson, Rylan, How are y'all doing out there?" asked Jack. The sound of gunfire permeated through the com channel until Carson spoke. "Just fine, Jack. Mostly cleaning up the grunts now. Unless there's a surprise Scarab around the corner, Noble Team should be fine."

The Pelican carrying Noble Team flew past the Railjack. Carter managed to dodge the small arms fire and landed on a nearby landing pad. Almost immediately, both Six and Emile disembarked and ran toward the armored plated railings. Carter followed suit as well. From their vantage point, it was clear the UNSC were retreating back to the cruiser. Unfortunately, the Covenant had inserted some advance forces in the shipyard were pinning the Marines and Army Rangers down.

Raising their weapons, the three Spartans took some crack shots at the KIg-Yar snipers. While they didn't kill them, the snipers' attention was now elsewhere. A series of ducking and shooting began between the snipers and Spartans. Rise from cover too early and you couldn't get a shot off.

Pulling a grenade from his chest armor, Emile pulled the pin off and tossed toward the snipers. A satisfying 'boom' and the snipers' flying in the air confirmed his kill. With the snipers eliminated, the Spartans vaulted over the railing and landed on a metal catwalk. Across from them were several Sangheili Minors, who were firing their plasma rifles at the Marines.

A spray of gunfire from above signaled the arrival of the Warframes. A cluster of homing missiles annihilated both the Covenant forces inside and outside the yard. The Marines stared momentarily at their saviors before their sargents urged them to keep moving. Noticing a swarm of Spirits and Phantoms from the southwest, the Tenno moved to intercept them. Rylan flew straight toward the swarm, plasma bolts bouncing off his Energy Shell. As the swarm surrounded him, the Revenant released his Dispel ability. Any ship caught in the area of effect began to spin out of control. Pilots were trying to regain control, but it failed. The dropships fell to the ground and exploded on impact.

Those who weren't near the Dispel's AOE were either destroyed by Carson's Bloomer missiles or Warhead. In the end, only a very few dropships survived their assault. Most of them were crippled by the explosions, so the pilots abandoned their dropship after depositing the troops.

The three Spartans reached an open field, surrounded by concrete walls. A metal staircase led to the currently unmanned Mass Onager cannon and two Wolf Spider auto turrets. Emile bounded up the staircase to mann the massive cannon while Six and Carter checked the field.

"Noble Team, this is Diver Five. I have the Captain on board. We will be arriving shortly." The familiar sound of a Pelican grew louder as the Pelican approached them. It slowly turned around and descended. The cargo bay's hydraulics hissed as it opened. Inside were four ODSTs flanking the Captain. The ODSTs took point and surveyed the area beforing beckoning the Captain forward.

Six walked up toward the Captain and grabbed the storage tank near his back. He unclipped it from the back of his waist and handed it to Keyes. The blue light grew bright when it recognized the transfer.

"Six, Carter, get on board with the Captain. I can take care of this" said Emile. Carter turned toward the cannon.

"No, Emile. If you are staying, I will as well. A team leader doesn't leave his soldiers behind." He began to jog toward the staircase. Suddenly, a large figure dropped out of the sky, startling Carter as he fell backwards. Six helped him up as Keyes walked over.

"Roscoe, what are you doing?" asked Keyes, as he watched the Rhino drop several white canisters on the ground.

"Making some reinforcements, Keyes. That way, Noble Team can go with you." The canisters started to wobble with increasing speed and explode. What could only be described as white goo started to transform into some kind of a humanoid form. Weapons appeared out of thin air and manifested on the humanoids' back, left and right thigh.

In all, twelve humanoids stood in front of the Rhino Warframe. Keyes stared, dumbfounded by this new technology. "What the hell is this?", he thought. Roscoe apped the shoulder of an Atlas three times. The insignia of an Army captain's rank appeared on its chest.

"Your goal is protect the Mass Onager cannon" He pointed up the silhouette, which was just barely visible.

"Atlas will mann the cannon and shot down any Covenant aircraft. The rest are to defend him from any attacks. Once the cannon has run out of ammo or power, you are to find any Covenant soldiers and eliminate them. That's all." The Atlas saluted and bullet-jumped toward the cannon, the others followed suit.

Roscoe turned to see the others in mild disbelief. He gently pushed Keyes to get his attention. Keys blinked and smoothed down his white dress uniform.

"You should leave now, gentlemen. Your window of escape is closing." said Roscoe.

"Oh, right. Noble Team, double-time it" said Keyes as he ran back to the Pelican. Six and Emile followed him as Roscoe activated his Archwing launcher. "Sir, I have a question" He turned to see Carter, still standing dumbfounded.

"W-What were those things, sir?" Carter was confused about the whole spectacle. "I will explain at a later time, Commander. Now, go" The Rhino Warframe flew up and sped toward the Railjack. Carter shrugged and ran back to the Pelican. As he did, he noticed it had suddenly darkened. He turned to look at the behemoth starship. His eyes widened behind his helmet. IT was a CCS-class battlecruiser and it was headed for the _Autumn_.

The Pelican's cargo door closed as Carter sat down. The Pelican rose into the air and flew toward the _Autumn_'s hangar bay. The cannon roared as it shot down any Covenant aircraft. Landing in the hangar bay, the three Spartans were sent to the cryopod room. While waiting for the cryopod techies, he noticed someone in a cryopod. Curious, he walked over and wiped away the frost.

Inside, there was a Spartan wearing a sage green MJOLNIR V armor. The blocky white numbers '117' were stenciled near his chest. Carter continued to stare at him until the technician called him. He turned away from the cryopod and followed the technician.

Several rumbles alerted the bridge officers that the R7 coupling rockets had disengaged from the Autumn's hull. As the cruiser sped toward space, the radar controlman was unaware of the cloaked Railjack and ONI prowler watching them from far away.

"Maxwell, is it ready?" asked Roscoe. The Capet's captain responded with an affirmative 'Yes'. "They have already been deployed, sir" The drones that were deployed were used to increase the bandwidth. The two captains watched as the _Autumn_ entered slipspace and disappeared. A shadow was cast over the cloaked ships. The Covenant had followed them and prepared for their slipspace jump.

Roscoe brought up another screen and watched the virus's progress. So far, Lambert's slipspace scramble virus was working perfectly. It had infiltrated their navigation computer and changed their destination at the last minute. Now, they were waiting for the last ship to be infected. As long as this ship was infected, the fleet would have to regroup at Reach again to pick up the lost scent.

A ping notified Roscoe that the mission was a success. He turned to Lambert, who was grinning slightly. "Congrats, looks like we fooled both the Supreme Commander and the Minor Prophet." Watching the Covenant perform their slipspace jumps, he could only imagine their surprise.

Every Covenant ship chasing the _Autumn_ had been sent to different coordinates. MOst of them were sent back to previously conquered planets. Others were sent to unknown random coordinates near the Outer Colony. But the _Seeker of Truth_ was specifically sent to a location near the Covenant's home planet as it carried both the Minor Prophet of Stewardship and the Supreme Commander Thel 'Vadamee.

"Well then, let's follow the _Autumn_ now, shall we?" said Maxwell.

The _Capet_ disengaged its cloak and opened a slipspace stream, the _Plantagenet_ following its wake. The slipspace portal closed, leaving nothing behind. Roscoe left the bridge and walked down to a secluded corner. He needed a lot of sleep after today's events.

* * *

Author's Section:

... And that is the end of the Halo: Reach arc! I hope you had a good time reading this portion of the story. As I said before, the next few chapters will be a flashback arc, which will focus on Roscoe's time during the Old War.

As always, I will look forward to your comments, questions and concerns!

\- The Phantom Traveler


	19. Days of Old I - Questions and Answers

Days of Old I

Direct Questions and Vague Answers

* * *

Origin System, Planet Mercury

117 OE / 0800 am

Odin Sector, Ceremonial Armory

* * *

The man stood in a large square room, surrounded by blue fluorescent light. He approached a table that was in the center of the room.

Placed on an obsidian table were three items. The first item was a large grey heptagonal hunter-case pocket watch. Attached to its top was a long steel watch chain . On its plain metal cover, there was nothing interesting. However, that cover had a function.

A gray hand hovered over the cover for a second and the person withdrew it. There was nothing happening until a small orange circle appeared in the center. A slightly bigger circle appeared next to it. The pattern continued until there were fourteen concentric circles. A heptagon surrounded the circles. At each of the heptagon's vertices, a small image of a Dakra Prime appeared.

Near the top of the pocket watch was a small button. The person pressed on the button, which caused the metal cover to flip open 145 degrees. Inside the flap was a small holoprojector, which could produce a person's face. On the other side was the watch itself. However, it was more than an ordinary watch.

Flicking on a small switch, the watch transformed into a map. It showed the person's location as a bright green dot. Flicking the switch again showed the room's electrical wiring. Pointing the cover at a nearby light, the blue fluorescent light was gone. He willed the light to return and the room was once again bathed in blue light. Flicking the small switch the final time was a black circle. The circle was a Void container, capable of storing one item.

He closed the flip and wrapped the chain around his right wrist. Placing the pocket watch in his right hand's palm, the watch melted into his palm. He stabbed his right hand out, palm outward. The pocket watch was felt by his fingers.

Satisfied, he turned to the second item on the table. One of three weapons known for a high base damage, the Dakra Prime was renowned for several factors. There was the obvious factors, such as the craftsmanship of the sabre-like sword. But more importantly, it was capable of hitting multiple targets in succession.

Opening the pocket watch again, he flicked the switch until the Void container appeared. He pushed the sword into the black mirror. Closing the watch again, he turned to the final item on the table.

It was sort of like a superhero cape. The design was somewhat inspired by a butterfly wing. Near the center, the Orokin word for 'Protect' was written diagonally. Only a few distinguished Tenno were allowed to wear the Izvara Syandana. It meant they were personally invited to join them.

Donning his Syandana, he walked out of the room. As he walked to his destination, a Dax Major stopped him. Like all Dax soldiers, he wore the standard Dax armor suit in dark grey and gold. He was also armed with a dragon nikana. However, his helmet was taller and a bit narrower.

"Show me your pass, stranger" demanded the Major. The man flashed his pocket watch's cover at the major, the orange symbol glowing. A short gasp escaped the Major's mouth. He stepped aside, bowing his head deeply.

"Forgive me. I did not know you were a Pyrite Warden, sir."

The man shook his head. "Please, raise your head, Dax Major. I didn't mean to startle you." The Dax nodded and walked in the opposite direction. Sighing, the Rhino walked down the corridor and arrived at his destination.

Pushing the ivory doors open, he was greeted by the sight of a Void Portal. The circular glass-like surface was a mixture of random colors. A Dax saluted the man as he showed his pocket watch.

"Is everything ready, sir?" asked the newly-inducted warden. The Dax nodded and pointed to the portal.

"Just enter the portal and walk straight forward. You will come across a set of double doors and the Executor will be inside."

Moments later, after crossing through the portal, the warden opened the double doors. The only information he was given was the Executor's name and location. He knew nothing about his occupation, hobby or personal life. After all, that was non-essential information. He was a bodyguard.

Inside, the room was a mess. Several datapads were strewn across the white marble floor. A square cage sat in the far left corner. The cage was hooked to a generator of somesort, which contained a ginormous Argon crystal. The fluid surrounding the crystal was the Void itself. On the right side was a spiral staircase, leading up to the second floor.

Near the right side was an armor pedestal. Next to it was a long table, which laid bare several chest armor pieces, all scorched by laser fire. Finally, in the center of the room was a small round table. Sitting on top of it was a metal conical capsule.

A series of clanking caused the warden to look up. The person coming down the spiral staircase wore a white lab coat. It was trimmed with gold and on its back were the words 'UAE Research' His hands were protected by large blue gloves. He had black hair and brown eyes. He carried a thermos in his right hand.

Wearing square glasses with a red frame, the executor hurriedly rushed to the warden. He grabbed his right hand and shook it with vigor.

"The name's Executor Oliver Lien-teh, head of the UAE Research branch." The Rhino cocked his head in confusion. "What does UAE mean, sir?"

"Unknown Anomaly and Entity, Warden" said the executor as he grabbed a nearby chair. "Any unknown object is sent to us for research and investigation. After completing our investigation, we sent a report to the authorities if it can be reversed-engineered and mass-produced for the military."

The warden nodded and sat down. He noticed a second chair next to him. Langston poured some coffee from his thermos cup and into a second cup. "You want some coffee, Warden…?"

The Rhino hesitated before answering, "Its Roscoe, Executor." A whirl of energy particles formed in front of the Rhino warframe until it solidified. The figure also had black hair and brown eyes. The only anomaly was his left hand. Roscoe took the coffee and sat next to the Rhino warframe.

There was silence as the two drank their coffee. "Ah… that's good." Lien-teh placed his thermos cup down clasped his hands together. "So… about your left hand. What happened to it?" Raising his left hand, Roscoe showed the executor. It appeared crab-like and had a V-shaped cleft between the thumb and index finger.

"Ectrodactyly, sir. It only formed up to the metacarpal bones" Roscoe lowered his left hand down. The researcher nodded in sympathy. "I'm sorry if I caused you discomfort. I'm sure you get that question a lot."

"Anyway, I want to show you something, Roscoe" He beckoned the Tenno over to the round table. The Operator disappeared and the Warframe stood up. Joining the researcher, he stared at the capsule.

"A drone found the capsule floating near the Void and brought it back. After decontamination and other procedures, I began to examine it. When I touched it, it opened up and spat these three objects out." Lien-teh pointed at them. The first two were a large blue triangular diamond and a white tablet. The third object was a bit strange. It looked like a totem, yet it felt like it wasn't a toy. There was a small circular handle, which was attached to a winglike top. The wings had a trapezoid shape. There were several lines etched into it.

"I brought the diamond and the totem to a scanner station to check for energy signatures. It was unreadable." Roscoe turned toward the researcher in disbelief. "How, sir. It should have Void signatures, shouldn't it?"

Oliver raised his hands in protest. "Yes, it _should_ have Void energy. Yet, it doesn't. I checked he spectrogram and it was off the chart." He pointed at the two said objects. "Whatever it is, its exhibiting a completely different energy signature."

"What about the capsule?" Roscoe asked, pointing at it. "That also does not have any Void energy signature. As I said, this energy source must be protecting the capsule and its content from Void energy exposure."

"However, it did show me _this_"

He placed his hand over the capsule. A small hole appeared and produced a hologram. The hologram was a lady with a long white robe. Her face was obscured by a thin silk veil. She wore silver bangles around her wrists.

The hologram spoke. "I am the Priestess. I represent the last of my kind, as they have perished due to a civil war. I ask that you protect the capsule's contents from any threat. It is imperative they are not used for any military action. As an AI, my prime directive is answer your questions as truthfully as possible."

"That's what she says every time she sees a new person." said Oliver. "I asked the five W's, but she won't answer the 'Why' part." He sighed in frustration and sat back down. "I hate it when I don't get a straight answer from people." he muttered under his breath.

"What did she say about her civilization? Anything about the civil war?" Roscoe leaned back in his chair. He needed as much information as possible.

"Well, she said that her civilization was constantly attacked by the 'demons', who were led by their leader, the 'World Eater'. For centuries, they plagued humanity until the 'gods' came from the heavens. Taking pity on them, the 'gods' swore an oath to defend them from the 'demons'. In return, they wanted land and a place to stay. After defeating the demons, they sealed away the 'World Eater'. There was peace until there was a dispute between the gods. Apparently, it was so divisive they went to war against each other. In the end, humanity was nearly wiped out and barely recovered."

"What other questions did you ask, Executor?"

The researcher began to count off the questions on his hand. "What was the civil war about? Why it did occur? Who started it? When it began? How it began? and Which nations were involved?" He pointed at the hologram. "As I said, the only credible info we have is her history about her people and the war"

"And the objects, sir?"

"I was just going to ask her." Rising from his seat, he hooked his thumbs in the coat's pocket. He nudged Roscoe, allowing him to ask first. The Tenno picked up the diamond and held it in front of the hologram.

"What is the diamond's purpose?"

"It is a warning orb, meant to signal that their energy was depleted."

"Where was it placed?" The hologram pointed at her chest, slightly above the solar plexus.

"Okay, then what about -" The sound of the doors opening and the marching footsteps and a short trumpet fanfare interrupted Oliver. Roscoe pushed the researcher behind him and withdrew his Dakra Prime from the pocket watch's Void container.

He heard a growl and looked back, seeing his client scowl at the newcomer. It was obvious he hated him.

"God _damn_ it. Just when we were making progress, he waltzes in like he owns the damned place!"


	20. Days of Old II - Artificial Alternative

Days of Old II

An Artificial Alternative

* * *

Origin System, Planet Mercury

117 OE / 0930 am

Odin Sector, UAE Lab

* * *

Standing in the doorway and flanked by Dax bodyguards was another Executor. Beside the bodyguards were trumpeters.

Unlike Cheng, he wore more ornate clothing, which denoted his status as one of the Orokin leaders. Wearing a white and gold yukata, he descended the steps with grace. He held a large folding fan, which obscured most of his pale face. His glassy grey eyes did not blink until he stood in front of the Chinese-Malay researcher.

He closed the fan and pocketed it away the yukata's inner pocket. He took a glance around the room before settling his gaze on the unfinished cage.

"Why haven't you finished it yet, Mr. Lien-teh?" He raised his slender alabaster arm and pointed at the cage. Oliver coughed before he spoke.

"Currently, I am waiting for my shipment of containment glass panels to arrive, Holtern." He grabbed a data pad from the marble floor, wiping it down with a disinfecting wipe before handing it over. Tapping the screen, Holtern noticed the shipment was in process. He silently handed the data pad back to the researcher.

Walking toward the contained Void crystal, he gently rapped his knuckles against the glass. "What other materials do you require for your project?" he said.

"Some extra sensors and two Level 4 containment fields." said the researcher. He passed another datapad, which Holtern signed via telepathy.

He stopped in front of the round table and picked up the totem-like object. He examined it, particularly the wing-like device. He placed it back down and picked up the white tablet. It had several carvings on it. Near the bottom was a rough outline of a face.

"Has this been scanned, yet, Mr. Lien-teh?" Oliver nodded. "Archeology and Linguistics are deciphering it as we speak. They will match it to the closest language that was written on the tablet.

Finally, he picked up the blue stone and tossed it into the air several times. Noticing some small prongs in the back, he turned toward the hologram. Holtern looked at Oliver before he gave his permission. Oliver nodded, waving him off.

"This orb," Holtern said as he held the orb between his fingers, " Is it possible to implant it into a human body?"

"Yes, it is possible. Why?"

The Orokin cocked his head. "I just had an interesting idea. I will be leaving now."

Holtern sighed and began to walk out of the doorway. He turned to face the duo who were watching him. As the double doors closed, Oliver twitched as he heard Holtern's voice in his mind.

"Remember, should you fail your project, you will end up just like her." Holtern's chuckle echoed until the doors were shut. Oliver grabbed his thermos and chugged the coffee until it was empty. Wiping his mouth with the back of his glove, he grabbed his communicator and dialed it.

"Norik, we need to walk...oh, really?...okay, then," He turned to his left, looking at a giant wooden grandfather clock. "So, around 10 then?...all right, I will see you then." He ended the call and placed the communicator tablet down.

Roscoe shifted his feet and waited a few seconds before asking. "So, who was that man, sir?" he asked.

Pushing his glasses up, Oliver spoke with a scowl. "Amadeus Holtern, Pro Tempore of the Executor Council. He's had a streak of jealousy ever since Ballas's appointment as the director of the Warframe Program. Since then, he has been trying to one-up Ballas by commissioning me and others to do his work for him."

He pointed at the cage-like structure and continue his litany. "Since I'm well-versed in the Void, he asked me to construct it in conjunction with another scientist." He looked at Roscoe and grabbed a nearby datapad, displaying a schematic of the Zariman Ten-Zero.

"We will start at the beginning. Tell me, what do you know of your unique condition?"

Roscoe tried to protest, but the researcher wasn't having any of it. "Just humor me, Roscoe"

He sighed.

"When the ship was brought to the Void, me and the others were 'transformed' by the Void. We were imbued with Void powers. However, anyone that was sixteen or older became insane and tried to kill us. In the end, we had to kill our parents and/or siblings to protect ourselves."

"Afterward, we were stranded until we came out of the Void. Margulis found us and brought us under her care," He winced when he remembered the scientist. She was trying to understand his powers, but he accidentally dislocated her left shoulder. He had expected her to yell at him. Instead, she simply smiled as she tried to comfort him, explaining it wasn't his fault. "All she wanted was to find a way for us to control our powers, so we could live as normal people."

"But everything changed when the Warframes were created. They viewed as us as mere weapons, cursed by the Void for our 'sins'. Before we were shipped off to the combat schools, we swore that we would have our revenge on the Orokin. That when the war was over, we would kill the entire Orokin leadership."

Roscoe stared at the white floor and growled. "This empire deserves to fall to its knees." he silently thought to himself. Oliver nodded and sighed heavily. "I agree, the Orokin needs to be taught a lesson. Apparently, they don't have a shred of sympathy for you or the others. However, we have a more pressing issue." Roscoe looked up, perplexed by his words.

"Five years ago, Holtern discovered a way to replicate your exposure to the Void," Roscoe drew a sharp breath. What Oliver said next was chilling.

"**He wants me to create a Void incubator, Roscoe. He wants to make artificial Tenno.**"

For a while, his words did not reach Roscoe. Roscoe was still in disbelief but the implication hit him quickly. Infinite scenarios popped into his mind, most of them terrifying. Yet, there was one that still scared him more.

"I think I have a good idea for how this will play out." spoke Roscoe. "Go ahead" said the researcher.

"Since the Pro Tempore has discovered this process, he will be looking for test subjects. They will most likely be orphans that lost their parents. He and his associates will woo the children to become Tenno to avenge their parents' deaths. Naturally, they will accept the deal."

Pointing at the cage-like incubator, he continued his litany, spewing out words faster than he could say them. "The orphans will be placed in the incubator and be exposed to the Void. After several days, they will become Tenno and faithfully serve the Orokin." Oliver nodded.

"Everything you have said has already happened. The only thing left is to finish the incubator and the last component." Tossing over a data pad, Roscoe quickly scrolled through the list. Most of them were ten or eleven, the oldest being thirteen and the youngest being nine. In total, 7,000 orphans had accepted the Orokin's offer to become Tenno.

"If this test batch is successful, what will happen, Executor?" asked the warden.

"The number will increase and more incubators will be made at an exponential rate. In the end, the word 'Tenno' will probably signify a caste of some sort in the future. It will lose any meaning that is connected to the Zariman Ten-Zero" said the executor. In short, no one would ever remember the Zariman Ten-Zero and its connection to the current Tenno. Everyone would assume it was a title of honor, that to become one was a joyous moment in their life.

A knock on the double door signaled the arrival of Oliver's colleague. The double doors opened to reveal two figures. The first person to enter was a tall man with dirty blonde hair. He had some freckles near his cheeks and wore black designer glasses. He wore a similar lab coat, except on the back there was the symbol of a red gear.

His warden was a Dex Excalibur in grey and gold colors. He wore a tattered cape as his syandana and was garbed in the Acanthus Prime armor set. Both of them had the same colors. He held out his pocket watch, lifting his hand diagonally. The symbol glowed, showing his affiliation. Roscoe also copied the movement. The two returned their pocket watches to their respective places. Around his neck was a grey scarf.

"Want some coffee, Norik? I just brewed it." The dirty blonde-haired scientist thanked Oliver and sipped the war coffee. He looked at Roscoe and extended his right hand. "Norik Petras" he said as he shook Roscoe's meaty hand. Roscoe nodded in return and turned toward the Excalibur.

"Pallax Northstar, nice to meet you, rookie" He said as he shook his hand. "How long have you been a Warden?" asked Roscoe. "Two and a half years" the Excalibur replied. "Hey, doc! Could we use the dueling room?" Oliver nodded pointed to his right, where was a door. "Walk straight down and it will be on your right. Can't miss it."

Pallax lightly punched Roscoe's shoulder and motioned him to follow him. As they ran toward the dueling room, he yelled over his shoulder.

"So, how did you get in? I got invited after the Battle of Jupiter."

"Lead a squadron down to the Oro sector on Earth. Neutralized the last Infested over there."

The Excalibur nodded. The duo entered the duelling room and looked around. There were three metal screens, one in front of them and the other two on the left and right side. Pallax rotated his arms while Rhino stretched his legs.

"So, want to make a bet?" asked Pallax. Roscoe wasn't sure how to answer him. He wasn't a betting man and the only time he betted were when he knew the outcome was very certain.

"Sure, what is it?" The Excalibur performed three backflips before he spoke. "If I win, I get give you a nickname and you can't change it." The Rhino picked a training Skana and slashed it through the air. He did several diagonal and vertical slashes at his imaginary opponent. He then sheathed it, using his left hand as a sheath. He quickly spun his body, his blade making a perfect circle. He resheathed the Skana before he spoke.

"And if I win?" said the Rhino. The Excalibur stabbed the air several times before ended it with a side kick. "You can choose any Prime weapons in my storage and keep it. I have all of them" That was a tempting offer.

"I will have the Cernos then." replied Roscoe. The room was filled with the sound of a low whistle. "Good choice. I hear they are hard to find." said Pallax.

Taking their stances, a three second timer. Both Tenno stared at each other and tightened their grip on their Skanas. A loud 'ding' was heard and the two wardens dashed toward each other.


	21. Days of Old III - Host & Vessel

Days of Old III

Host and Vessel

* * *

Origin System, Planet Mercury

117 OE / 1030 am

Odin Sector, UAE Lab

* * *

The two Tenno returned to Oliver's lab. Whereas Pallax was laughing his heart out, Roscoe was a bit pissed. He had underestimated the Excalibur's prowess and agility. At first, he wanted to blame it in the Excalibur's inherent passive, Swordsmanship, which granted him a damage boost when wielding a bladed weapon. After reviewing the footage, he admitted that it was his footwork that needed work.

"So, what nickname did you give him?" asked Norik. The two scientists were sitting at around table sipping some coffee. Between them was the capsule and its contents.

"Tesco! Best nickname I ever gave anyone." said the Excalibur. Pouring himself a cup of coffee, he appeared in his Operator form and sat down. Like Oliver, Pallax had dirty-blonde hair and some freckles, although they weren't noticeable as Oliver's.

Roscoe waved him off. He sat down after pouring himself some coffee in his Operator form. "So, any luck?" Oliver nodded and activated the capsule. The Priestess appeared once more in her silver dress.

"Priestess, could you repeat what you said to me earlier?" The AI nodded and spoke.

"It is possible to implant the orb into a human. As a result, the person would gain a variety of powers, ranging from enhanced speed to telepathy. However, this procedure is only used in dire situations."

"From what I understand, Holtern was attempting to implant the orb into a Warframe, correct?" asked the AI. Oliver nodded.

"In that case, the Warframe will simply be filled with energy. Its base stats will be much higher due to the energy's nature. As for abilities, I do not know which ones will manifest."

"However, there is one condition that must be fulfilled before the procedure begins."

"So there was a catch, after all", all four people thought.

"Both the host and vessel must be chosen by the orb. The vessel refers to the person that becomes the Warframe, while the host is the Tenno."

A sigh of relief escaped Roscoe's mouth. With the precautions set, there was no way Holtern could try his idea. He finished his coffee.

"What about the energy you are talking about? Is it possible to replicate it?" asked Pallax. The AI turned to the Excalibur and spoke. "Yes, it is possible to replicate it. However, it is extremely volatile. One mistake and there will be a crater the size of a mountain."

"By the way, what do you specialize in, Executor Petras?" asked Roscoe. He had almost forgotten to ask him.

"Time dilation and its other related phenomena" said the executor. "Holtern wanted me to accelerate the time it took to make a Tenno and Warframe. I was assigned this project around the same time as Oliver."

"I made my first public demonstration about two years ago in front of the Council and the Emperors. I managed to cut down the time it took, from one day to half a day. After conducting many tests, it was approved for mass-production. All that's left is for the Tenno."

Checking his smart watch, Norik got up and thanked Oliver for the coffee. As the double doors closed, Oliver picked up the capsule and placed in it a rectangular container. "Well, I think that's all for today, unless you want to me to help."

"And that would be…?" asked Roscoe. Oliver pointed at the scorched chest armor pieces. "Its a side project of mine, but I need an assistant to help me." The Rhino shrugged. "Sure, I don't mind."

Elsewhere, Roscoe's voice could be heard on the speaker. The man listening to it killed the audio, no longer interested. He had heard the necessary information. All he had to do was wait.

Once the host and vessel were chosen, it would be easy to start the process.

* * *

Seventeen years later, two weeks before the ceremony-

A lot of time had passed by and nearly all of it was a blur for Roscoe. Most of his time was dominated by assisting Oliver in his side-project, the PDAS. It was supposed to replace the existing armor-skinsuit that most infantry soldiers wore. While it had basic energy shields, it did not protect them from the Infested or Sentient. Thus, Oliver wanted to create a better armor suit that was equal to that of a Warframe.

The double doors opened and three figures stepped in. The first person to step in was Norik, who was stretching his arms. The second figure to enter was a fourteen year old boy with chestnut hair and grey eyes, who was carrying a briefcase. He looked around in wonder, amazed by the size of the room. The third person to enter was Pallax.

The rhythmic 'cling-clang' of footsteps on metal caused the boy to look up. Two figures walked down the staircase, one wearing a white lab coat and the other a Rhino Warframe. The boy rushed toward Oliver and hugged him happily.

"Hi, Uncle Oliver" said the boy. Oliver squeezed the boy a little harder and let go. "Good to see you too, Theo" said the scientist. Oliver rarely saw the boy as he and Roscoe were busy with PDAS and the Incubator.

He looked up at Roscoe and asked him a ridiculous request. "Can I duel you, please? I think I'm ready to test it out." As usual, Roscoe gave his customary shrug. "I don't mind. But, shouldn't you ask your father first?"

He turned to face Norik, who nodded. "Don't forget to put on your training pads!" he shouted as Theo ran off. Roscoe ran after the boy, with Pallax trailing behind him. Oliver handed him a cup of coffee and directed him to the round table.

"So, remind me, how did he convince you he could build it?" asked Oliver. He had heard a rumor that Norik had allowed his son to build a weapon. What was more incredulous was it gave the engineers an interesting time. It hadn't been done before, but nearly every engineer wanted to build it.

"Well, he did promise me high marks on his assignments and always exercised daily. He did his part, so I had to do mine." said Norik.

"And the engineers? I heard everybody fought tooth and nail to build it." said Oliver. Norik chuckled. The number of letters sent to his house were in the hundreds. He was still writing the responses to them.

"Yeah, everyone fought tooth and nail. Besides, it's not everyday you get to build one."

At the dueling room, Theo had unclipped the suitcase's locks and opened it. He smiled and carefully lifted it out. He had practiced for about eight months, the first four months balancing the weapon and the last four months doing the movements. Clipping on the training armor, he knew he probably be guarding more than attacking. Then again, it was his first duel. Hopefully, Uncle Roscoe could teach him.

Gripping the handle tightly, he lifted the weapon until it was slightly angled toward the Rhino. The Rhino pulled his Dakra Prime out of the pocket watch and angled it toward the boy. It was a weird weapon to look at. It was a medium-sized axe, but he could tell there was a transformation gear somewhere because of the long blade.

"That's the most complex weapon I have seen so far." he thought to himself. It looked heavy, but Theo didn't seem to be struggling. A loud 'ding' and the duel began.

Roscoe blocked an overhead swing and pushed the axe away. Grabbing near the axe, Theo rotated his body to the right. Blocking it again, Roscoe rushed toward the axe's wielder, only to meet a giant metal counterweight ball on the left side of his face.

The hit caused him to stumble, but it was enough to distract. He raised his sword to a fast overhead swing from a medium-sized blade. Despite its size, its momentum and force made Roscoe drop to one knee. Pushing the blade away, He stepped away backward and a loud buzz was heard, He looked downward, and found his right foot out of the designated line.

"Was that your plan from the start, Theo" said Roscoe. The boy nodded and collapsed the hybrid axe-sword weapon. "So, what I do need to work on, sir?" said the Theo. Opening the video console, Roscoe watched the footage before answering.

"You are moving slowly because of its weight, right?" said the Rhino.

The boy nodded hastily. "Its been made to account for my body weight. Too heavy and I can't pick it up. Too light and I don't have enough weight for momentum. " said Theo. The Rhino nodded in response. "Do you have the specs?" he said.

Theo inserted a flash drive into the USB port. The weapon's blueprint appeared and the console's 3D program produced a render of it. After spending a couple of minutes, the Tenno sighed. "I don't think there's anything wrong with your weapon. It's most likely your footwork that needs to be fixed."

Returning to the lab, they found the scientist duo examining the capsule's content. "So, this is what has worried both of you, I assume." Both scientists nodded. "The last time we spoke to the AI was when you were three. The tablet was finally deciphered. Turned out it was coordinates to their home planet, which is very far away. It is twenty galaxies away from ours."

"Well, what about that wing-like device?" said Theo. The device had some cracks on it. "Well, you better put on some gloves cuz' really fragile." Slipping on a pair of blue gloves, Theo gently held the device between his hands. He slowly turned it over, examining the cracks.

"Do you have any glue? The cracks starting to expand." Theo said. "I will check cupboard, don;t apply any pressure on the handle." Pallax said as he opened the cupboard door. Noticing a strange carving near the wing, Theo gently brushed it. A small electric shock caused to grip the handle tightly. An ominous crack was heard and lines appeared all over the device.

"Theo, put it down, now" his father sternly instructed. "I didn't do anything to it, I just -" A shrill cry rose from the device. It started to shake with each cry, shaking faster each time. The stone chips flaked away to reveal the device's true colors. It appeared to be a translucent white with the winglike stripes a dull gold.

"It's … beautiful." Oliver murmured. It was an exquisite piece of craftsmanship. His thoughts were replaced with surprise when the wings snapped open, blinding everyone with a bright light. The light dimmed out in a minute. Surprise changed to horror. Everyone's head turned toward the boy.

"Theo, where's the device?" The device was gone, vanished out of existence. Theo's hands were empty, save for the few stone flakes that were turning to dust.


	22. Days of Old IV - Sudden Escalation

Days of Old IV

Sudden Escalation

* * *

Origin System, Planet Mercury

100 OE / 1420 pm

Odin Sector, UAE Lab

* * *

Theo stepped out of the scanner bay, shivering slightly in his paper hospital gown. After his 'accident', he was rushed to the scanner bay to check for any anomalies in his body. Uncle Oliver scanned him several times, performing several tests from Void energy readings to an MRI scan.

The tests came back negative, meaning there was nothing wrong. "The results are probably false, as we know that your 'accident' did change you. It will probably take a while for the effects to show up." said Oliver as he gave the test results to Norik.

Activating the capsule, the Priestess appeared. However, she was holding her palm outward. "I know what you want to hear. It would be better to speak to you in a more private setting. Say nothing to your wardens, colleagues or superiors." A glass-like dome covered the AI and the two scientists entered the dome. It immediately darkened and the two wardens and the boy waited outside.

Two hours later, the dome disappeared. The AI flashed out of existence, leaving the two scientists alone. Their faces grim, they walked back toward the wardens. Norik motion Pallax and Theo to follow him out. Locking the double doors, Oliver climbed the staircases and dismissed Roscoe for the day.

Oliver's demeanor had completely changed. He was no longer cheerful. He was a bit moody and constantly angry at every little mistake. He was definitely nervous about something. It was the same with Norik as well. Pallax had called Roscoe late one night to discuss with him about the recent behavior.

"Whatever the AI said to them has both of them scared. Any schedule changes or anomalies on your end?" asked Pallax.

"Nothing on my end, Pallax. The schedule hasn't changed and the Incubator is inactive," Looking at the schedule, Roscoe noticed that tomorrow was going to a private test demonstration. He found no anomalies with the schedule, noting it had been made in advance seventeen years ago.

"Actually, we may have something concerning coming up." he said. Pallax looked at his copy and nodded. "So, it's pretty much guaranteed that they will try their plan tomorrow, then. By the way, who made that request?"

"It doesn't say who made the request. I'm betting my credits on Holtern, though." Roscoe said. Pallax groaned when he heard Roscoe. "So, now what? Even if we stood guard outside the doors, he pretty much overrides us on authority and he could restrain us if we challenge him."

Leaning back in his chair, Roscoe rubbed his eyes. He looked at the clock, noting the time was 10:45 pm. "Whatever happens tomorrow, we will deal with it." he said. "Well, I will see you in the morning, Pallax. Good night." Roscoe ended the encrypted video chat and went to sleep.

The next day, Roscoe entered the lab. Oliver was running a diagnostic test on the incubator, while Norik was inspecting the containment fields. Theo, dressed in a paper hospital gown again, was sitting at the table. Pallax sat across from the teenager. Between them was the capsule and its contents.

"How are you doing, Theo?" the Rhino asked as he sat down. "I don't know. I'm really nervous." said Theo. He looked back at the incubator, which was now humming with power. He looked back at the Rhino. Roscoe saw the fear in his eyes.

"W-What was it like? When you were transformed by the Void?" said the teenager.

"Well, it didn't happen that quickly. At first, I didn't feel the effects. All I could see were the Void energy covering the floors, windows and walls. Once in a while, we would see the black silhouette of a man on the walls. Then, the whispers came. He spoke to me almost every day. He was a sort of devil's advocate. I would explain my reason for doing a certain action, he would try to contradict me and explain why I was wrong. Until I was rescued, it became a back and forth argument." Roscoe ended his explanation with a sigh.

"It's time, Theo" Norik opened the incubator's gate and locked it after Theo had entered the cage-like structure. All around Theo were small radar dishes, which would emit Void energy at him.

"If you can hear me, wave your hand." said Oliver, who was speaking via intercom. Theo waved his hands. "All right, we will begin the test in one second." Flicking an assortment of switches, dull blue energy covered the incubator from top to bottom.

"Absorption percentage: 1% and counting, subject vitals are green, continuing observations.."

The next eleven hours felt like eons for those outside the incubator. Both Pallax and Roscoe watched Theo's transformation carefully. After thirty minutes, Theo sat down and waved his hands, letting them know he was still alive. Three hours later, he backed away from an imaginary person and stared at the wall.

At the eleventh hour, Oliver came to check Theo's progress. Theo appeared to be angry was pointing his fingers at two imaginary figures. He was ranting about how 'they' didn't control him. The absorption rate was stuck at 33% for the last seven hours. Oliver ran several diagnostic tests to check if it was a mistake. It wasn't a mistake.

Pulling both Tenno to the console, he pointed at the low percentage. "It's been like this for the past seven hours. I'm starting to think the transformation is finished." Theo sat down and was shaking his head. Oliver entered the shutdown command on the console. The sounds of the power shutting down filled the lab. Scanning Theo, they found he was now imbued with both Void energy and an unknown energy signature. Opening the gate, they passed him a special skinsuit made for Tenno. After donning the skinsuit, he stretched his arms and sighed.

"So, how was it?' asked Roscoe.

"It was similar to what you said earlier. The only difference was that the Man in the Wall was arguing with someone else the entire time." Theo said.

"Then, what were they arguing about?" asked Pallax

"I don't know what they were arguing about. I could only see their spectral forms. Whatever the second person said made the Man in the Wall really pissed. He shot me some angry looks until he disappeared."

Roscoe crossed his arms. This was the first time he had heard of the Man in the Wall being forced to negotiate. "Whoever this secondary entity is, he must have some sort of leverage over him." thought the Tenno.

"All right, time to test out your power" Pulling him to the dueling room, Roscoe set up a training Specter for Theo to use. "Pull back your right arm and push it forward."

Theo followed Roscoe's instructions. A continuous beam of white and black slammed into the Specter. The Specter exploded after its health was depleted. "That's called a Void Beam. That's your most powerful weapon when you are in your Operator form."

After practicing Void Blast, Void Dash and Void Mode, it was officially confirmed that Theodore Petras was the first artificial Tenno. However, he still did not have a Warframe. When Roscoe and Theo returned to the lab, the double doors opened.

Surrounding the scientists and the Tenno, the Dax pointed their nikanas at them while others secured the room. The last person to enter the lab was Holtern. Snapping his paper fan shut, he stopped in front of Oliver.

"I see your test has gone well, Oliver. I congratulate you and Dr. Petras for this achievement." he said.

"Thank you, Pro Tempore. However, this was a private test I scheduled in advance. May I remind you that you approved it without any hesitation. I want to know why you are barging into my lab." Oliver spoke, glaring at the Orokin leader.

"That is true. I did approve your private test request a long time ago. However, certain events have caused me to intervene. For example, your quest to look your host and vessel."

Taking Oliver's silence as an answer, Holtern continued. "I know that the host has already been chosen," he said as he pointed at Theo. "Of course, you are still trying to find the vessel. A pity you didn't find it earlier."

Picking up the orb, he tossed it several times into the air. "As far as I know, this orb grants me a variety of benefits. Near immortality, enhanced strength and agility, superhuman senses. It really is a boon for the Golden Empire."

"In addition to the incubator, I intend on confiscating the orb and studying it. If you refuse…" Holtern pulled a Lato Prime out of the yukata's inner pocket and pointed at Theo. He fired, the bullet landing near Theo's feet. "I will do whatever is necessary."

"Relinquish the orb to me, Mr. Lien-teh. Else, everyone will die here." Holtern spoke with authority as he issued his ultimatum.

The orb burned in the palm of his left hand, but Holtern didn't mind. Since Theo was now linked to the orb, if Holtern killed Theo, the orb wouldn't have a host. An electrical shock caused Holtern to drop the orb. He winced from the shock and a nearby Dax wrapped his hand in a bandage.

The orb hovered in the air and golden particles emanated from it. It was engulfed in a golden cloud until it reassembled itself in a humanoid shape. The being raised his right hand and pointed his finger at Holtern. A deep guttural voice came from the being.

"_I don't have the luxury of time to deal with you and your goons." _

Raising both hands in the air, a fiery halo appeared over his hands. It slowly expanded and grew thicker every second. The Dax started to slash their nikanas at the golden being, but their swords melted from the intense heat.

The golden being slammed his hands into the marble floor. The halo was brought down and exploded. Orange flames surged throughout the room and reached the lab's ceiling. Everything was charred black and scorched. The clean fresh air was smoky and hazy. Unknown chemical fumes filled the air with a sickly smell.

In front of them, Holtern was covered from top to bottom with second-degree burns. His chest and torso received the worst parts of the flames. His yukata had burned away, the last traces of the synthetic thread eaten by the flames. His ragged breathing was slowing by the minute

The being walked to the fallen Pro Tempore's charred body. Hovering above the solar plexus, the being's body disappeared and the orb fell right on top of the spot. A bright blue light burst from Holtern's body as the orb possessed it.

Roscoe was covering the scientists with his back, which was scorched by the flames and intense heat. Pallax was doing the same with Theo. Everyone was shaken by the sudden escalation.

"Jesus… what have we done?" said Oliver as he surveyed the carnage around him. His eyes widened when he saw the charred body walking toward them. He fell on his back and scrambled away from the reanimated body.

"_Doctor, prepare the Helminth Room. He will do well as a vessel." _

Turning around, Roscoe was surprised to find everything still in intact. The marble floors and walls shined from the fire.

Closing the containment door which led to the Helminth Room, the five of them watched the process via CCTV camera. The red claw-like appendage stabbed the body, injecting it with a special variation of the Infested disease. The claw pulled itself and the body started to twitch and spasm. The blood veins became grey as the disease ravaged through the body. Its skin was warped and became metallic. The orb glowed brightly as it tried to control the disease. Slowly but steadily, it resembled a Warframe.

Placed on a white gurney, it was automatically wheeled to the containment room, where it was decontaminated for any surviving bacteria. The door hissed open and it was wheeled out.

Surrounding the orb was a hexagonal armored plate, which was composed of small rectangles. The chest area resembled the totem's features, with a band of gold and silver to represent the wings. There appeared to be some sort of writing near his torso. On both shoulders was some sort of samurai-like armor.

However, their eyes lingered on the thirteen meter long scissor claw-like mechanism on his right arm The tips seemed to curved outward. On his left arm was a gold bracelet, which embedded with a ruby jewel in the center. Surrounding the ruby was indecipherable writing.

An explosion caused them to turn toward the sound. The flames were covering the power generator, which had just exploded. They immediately turned to Theo, who had disappeared ina swirl of green energy. The Warframe sat up and looked at his hands. It paced around the machines and jumped a few times. Theo nodded and spoke.

"Somatic link is stable, Dad. We need to leave now." Theo noticed the capsule, which was sitting on the burning table. He rushed into the fire, grabbed it and ran back to the group. Peeking inside, he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the contents was safe.

The Priestess appeared with a crackle of static. She looked a bit upset, as her plan had gone to ashes. "We must hurry to the escape craft immediately. If you have any last minute things you need to do, do it now." Oliver looked at Norik and nodded. "I guess we should do now." Beckoning the others to following him, he walked toward the wall and pressed a hidden button. The wall slid apart to reveal an elevator, which brought them to the second floor. Promptly exiting the elevator, he came to his bookcase which revealed a hidden room.

In the room were two beds, headsets and small crystal cubes. "Wait a minute...you are joking, right?" said Pallax. Oliver shook his head and laid down on the bed. Placing the headset over his head and connecting it to the cube, he gripped the side of the bed and pressed a button. The headset glowed blue and Oliver groaned as his mind was digitized. Eventually, his hands relaxed and his breathing was shallow. Within five minutes, Oliver Linh-teh became a Cephalon AI.

Kneeling down, Roscoe looked at the glowing cube. It was white and its crystalline circuits were crimson red. The circuits glowed as Oliver spoke.

"Well, that was exhilarating. Imagine your consciousness being diverted into a small cube. It's really surprising how far our technology has progressed."

Roscoe tapped the cube and Oliver gave a yelp. "Hey, I felt that, you know! Be careful now, I kind of fragile now." Turning around, he saw Theo and Pallax kneeling down toward a black cube with orange crystalline circuits.

"Dad, can you hear me?" Theo asked. "I can hear you just fine," said Norik. "There should be a cart that has a element-resistant case to put us in." Near the door was the cart and Pallax pushed it toward the center. PIcking up the newly-born AIs, he gingerly placed them in the case and shut the lid closed.

"Down the corridor is a walkway which leads to the escape craft. Everything is ready for us." Taking the cart's handle away from Pallax, Theo pushed it and walked through the corridor. Sure enough, there was a walkway which led the escape craft.

Before he entered it, he turned the cart around, facing Roscoe and Pallax. "I guess this is goodbye, then." Roscoe patted his shoulders to reassure him. "It's going to be okay. You have your dad and uncle with you." said Pallax.

Theo nodded and sighed. "Any last words, Dad, Uncle Oliver?"

"Well, I modified the CCTV's camera footage to look like it was a lab accident that went horrifically wrong. Hopefully, the High Court won't question you about the accident." said Oliver

"Just say that both Theo and I died a quick death, that we couldn't feel the flames." said Norik. Pallax nodded. "I will relay your message as soon as possible."

Theo walked through the open hatch, which closed behind him. A few minutes later, the docking clamps released the spacecraft, which slowly exited the drydock. It then Void-jumped to an unknown location.

Checking the area one last time, both Pallax and Roscoe left the drydock. Checking his inventory, Roscoe found several blueprints that had been emailed to him before the experiment began.

* * *

Following the aftermath, both Pallax and Roscoe were given new assignments. However, those assignments never came. At 2210 pm, the Tenno rebelled against the Orokin leadership during the ceremony at the Mercury Junction. There are many differing accounts of how the massacre began, but nearly all have the same conclusion.

The Orokin Empire was no more and the Tenno disappeared, never to be seen again.

* * *

Author's Section

And that is the end of the flashback arc! These characters will be returning near the end of the story, which takes place between Halo 3 and 4. Onward to Halo CE!

Last but not least, the entire arc is a reference to a certain franchise. Try and guess which franchise it is.

As always, I look forward to your comments, questions and concerns.

\- The Phantom Traveler


	23. More Than A Scratch

Ch.19: More than a Scratch

* * *

Unknown System

September 1, 2552 / 0945 am

High Council Chamber, High Charity

* * *

"And that is what happened, noble Hierarchs" spoke the Minor Prophet, as he interlinked his fingers together. Next to him was the revered Supreme Commander, Thel Vadamee. The Sangheili nodded to confirm the Prophet's statement. The rest of the Covenant's High Councilors sat on large bleachers on either side of the room. They murmured with approval.

In front of the duo, were the Hierarchs, the leaders of the Covenant. Each High Prophet sat on a gold gravity throne, which was outfitted with a gravity cannon. The High Prophet of Truth, dressed in a dull red garb, sat in the middle. On his left was the High Prophet of Regret, who wore dark navy grabs, and the High Prophet of Mercy, dressed in pale yellow.

"Tell me, Commander, do you have any information on the so-called 'monsters'?" asked Truth. Vadamee nodded and a large hologram appeared between them. A video of the 'monsters' appeared between them. They appeared to fighting a contingent of Covenant infantry with ease.

"We first encountered them at Sigma Octanus IV, when we were trying to obtain the holy artifact." The video transitions to Rylan stabbing a Brute in the neck at the natural history museum. "They appeared to be stranded and have decided to aid the humans in their fight against us." The video disappears. A picture of a large grey and black humanoid appears. It had a pear-shaped head, with two white dots as eyes and a mouthpiece.

"This person is their leader. He goes by the name of Roscoe. It appears he has the ability to create an outer layer of armor and he can boost their damage output by unleashing a roar." The hologram transitions to a video of Roscoe activating Iron Skin and Roar.

One by one, Vadamee explains to the Hierarchs each of Roscoe's comrades and their abilities. Regret appeared to be a bit fidgety, as the meeting was going a bit longer than expected. Meanwhile, both Mercy and Truth appeared to be interested by their new adversary.

When the image of the sleek Railjack appeared, there was a collective gasp of surprise. Its firepower impressed some of the Sangheili High Councilors. For such a small ship to have such devastating firepower scared them.

"Such failure cannot be tolerated, Supreme Commander." admonished Mercy. Thel bowed his head in shame as Mercy continued speaking. After what seemed like an eternity, Truth raised his hand to silence Mercy.

"It is true that we would not tolerate such failure. However, I believe this was a minor setback. Despite receiving little to no information, the transmission did point to a possible location." Thel raised his head in surprise. "How was this possible?" he silently thought. He had heard the transmission was corrupted after High Charity lost contact.

"We believe they are headed to the Soell system. Regroup your fleet at Reach immediately and pursue them, Supreme Commander." Thel nodded and saluted the Hierarchs.

Moments later, Thel stood at the helm of his flagship, the Seeker of Truth. It would take two days to arrive at Reach and five days for his pursuit fleet to regroup. Even though the humans had a head start, it would take a while for them to arrive at their destination.

* * *

Origin System, 629 POE

Earth, Turkey Sector

Uskudar Base, Broken Blade Warehouse

* * *

Ten years had passed since Operation White Comet. In the following years, there had been several dramatic events. The first event was the execution of Vay Hek, former commander of the Grineer's Earth Occupation Force. He had pleaded for mercy, but the Queens denied him his right to a trial by combat. He was replaced by an acting commander.

While it was not the resounding victory they desired, the Tenno took his execution in stride and crossed him off their target list.

The second event was the Grineer Empire's order to avoid the pyramid and its surroundings at all costs. With no Grineer forces around, the Empire essentially handed the Tenno free land.

While the pyramid left a giant crater, the shockwave had somehow caused the overgrown and rampant biomass to wither and die. This phenomenon continued until it reached the former city of Izmit, where the biomass had adapted to the effect.

With the biomass gone, survey expeditions were conducted and maps were updated. Lost cities were rediscovered and designated as potential bases. Realizing the need for a homeland and to legitimize the Tenno's sovereignty, Teshin Dax and the Council of Seven issued a mandate, ordering immediate support from the various Tenno clans. Tasks were divided among the clans and they went to work.

Any surviving historical artifacts were handed over to the Gray Sentinels and other archeological-related groups for preservation and academic study. Those involved in engineering or construction were focused on two tasks: building prefabricated bases or making more Railjacks. Finally, combat-oriented clans were assigned with defending the cities from any invaders, whether they came by sea, air or land.

So far, the Tenno had finished building their base at Uskudar. The port city of Ecsabat was still being surveyed. Kirklareli and Edirna were as garrison bases to keep a watch on the Grineer in the northwest. Meanwhile, the port city of Kesan was used as a base for underwater-combat clans

Inside a repurposed warehouse, an Excalibur was fiddling with a Braton rifle. He screwed the metal plating and aimed down its iron sight. Chambering a magazine into the assault rifle, he walked outside to a nearby courtyard. Setting up some scrap metal as targets, he walked over to the white starting line, which had been sprayed on the ground.

"Ping-ping-ping"

Each target fell down with a smoldering hole the size of a penny. He nodded and returned to the warehouse to pick up some more magazines. Closing the warehouse's metal barn doors, he placed a lock between the door's handles.

Running down some steps, he made a left turn and was greeted by the sight of his Liset. Unlike other Lisets, the exterior was covered with small bumps. These bumps were sensors to measure energy output and track any kind of emissions, from energy to chemical-based.

Once aboard his Orbiter, he stowed away his brand-new rifle in the inventory. Checking the time on his pockwatch, he gave a short gasp and ran to the navigation console.

"Ordis, plot a course for the Gateway Center ASAP." cried Pallax.

"At once, Operator" said Ordis. He could hear the engines humming and felt the ship rise into the air. Seconds later, the Orbiter flew through the air toward Turkey's largest city.

The former bodyguard and one of the early founders of the Gray Sentinels, now clan leader of the Broken Blade was sweating slightly. Hopefully the old man wouldn't chew him out like last time.

Situated between Istanbul and the Maslak business district was the Gateway itself. The pillars that had been destroyed had started to regenerate a year after the battle. Attempts to nullify or stop its growth failed and the pillars were filled to the brim with thermal energy. Even scarier was the fact it now had an improved feedback system, which diverted excess energy to an unknown location. That meant overloading the pillars was not a viable option.

In the end, it was agreed a barrier and several AA turrets were to be constructed around the crater. The massive double barrelled AA turrets were pointed toward the sky, waiting to shoot down any approaching hostile. Fifty miles south of the Gateway was the Gateway Center. This was where the Tenno tried to control the Gateway's functions.

Even after ten years, they were still befuddled by its complicated, and at sometimes, redundant system. Activating the gateway was easy, but targeting a specific destination or object was hard. While they still had the original coordinates where the Plantagenet was sent to, the Tenno wanted to send someone to the Plantagenet's location directly.

Standing on a balcony in front of the giant monitor was the Conclave master himself. Normally, he would send a specter version of himself to oversee this operation. But this was a critical moment for the Tenno. If they could get visual confirmation that the Plantagenet was alive and well, it would be the best news they ever received.

"Are you sure, Sayid? That whatever you and your team have been tracking for the last three years is the Plantagenet?" asked the old Dax. He was questioning a Hydroid, who was sitting in front of a computer terminal.

"Yes, Master Teshin, I'm positive," Sayid pointed the terminal's screen, which showed a yellow wavelength that was moving. "This wavelength hasn't changed since we first detected it. We checked it with every possible source and its emanating from the Plantagenet's Void Engine. Every Railjack engine produces a unique energy wavelength and no two engines have the same, sir."

The old Dax nodded and turned back to the giant screen, which displayed the Gateway's internal system. Right now, the engineers were warming it the canisters. Once they reached the optimal 'temperature', everything was ready. The last step was turning the activation key and the process would start automatically.

"Master Teshin, Pallax Northstar has arrived. He's waiting outside in the courtyard." His com channel was closed a second later. Leaving the Observation Room, he left and made way to the courtyard.

Minutes later, he was sitting outside with the former Pyrite Warden. While Teshin could have assembled a Railjack crew that comprised of the Gray Sentinels' founders, only one had a personal connection to the Rhino user.

"As I said before, it's up to you if you want to do this mission. The only risk is that you might not come back in a very long time." Teshin spoke. He clasped his hands together and looked at the Excalibur directly.

The Excalibur shrugged. "I don't mind being lost for a long time. And besides, if we end up meeting potential allies, we might end this war a lot sooner." He turned around to see his Orbiter, which was being loaded with supplies.

Teshin stood up and shook Pallax's hand. "Thank you, Pallax. We will send you through the Gateway in thirty minutes. Do you have any last requests?"

Pallax scratched the back of his head. He had already written out his will and appointed his successor. He had also assigned his apprentice, Melbourne, to another mentor. "I don't think I'm missing anything important." he mumbled to himself as he walked back to his spacecraft.

Thirty minutes later, he sat in his Orbiter, watching the Gateway rumble with power. Th ePillar glowed dull purple as it began to stabilize the atmosphere. A black lance erupted the conical tip and floated in the air. It slowly merged into a small ball that expanded into a giant one.

"Wormhole tunnel stabilized and open, sir. Good luck, Tenno" spoke Sayid

"If all goes well, I will see ya on the flip side." Throttling the engine to maximum speed and pushing his energy shields to the max, Pallax guided his ship into the wormhole. Everything became black and he allowed Ordis to pilot the ship.

Finally, he could see what appeared to be pinpricks of light that engulfed him. A large 'boom' shook the ship as it exited the wormhole. Taking a good look at his new surroundings, he first noticed a metallic ring-shaped structure floating near an unknown planet in the distance. It was massive and he could see there was land on the inner side of the ring.

"Damn, the Orokin would _kill_ for this technology." Pallax thought. A 'ping' notified him that was exiting the Void. A shockwave shook the ship again as a massive purplish-black hole tore open real space and a white ship exited. It appeared to have a rectangular shape and had a large barrel near the top. The words 'UNSC Pillar of Autumn' were in white blocky letters.

Unfortunately, the Orbiter was too close to the Marathon-class cruiser and bumped against its titanium-grade armor. Pallax fell down and quickly stood up.

"Control, are you seeing this?" A buzz of static and he could hear someone speaking faintly.

"Yes, we are. It appears we have found our first sign of an FTL-capable civilization." The ship cruised toward the ring before it stopped moving. No doubt the crew was wondering what they had hit.

"Well, nothing important was damaged, Operator. Perhaps -" Ordis was interrupted as another hole ripped open real space. Barreling right into the Orbiter, an arrowed ship crashed into the Orbiter and grazed the sensors, scratching the white paint off the Orbiter. Following close behind was the Plantagenet, which also grazed the delicate sensor arrays.

"Well, the Plantagenet's alive and well, Teshin." said the Excalibur as he grabbed the corner of his Coden console. Pulling himself, he heard Teshin's faint voice. "Understood, Control out." The comm channel was cut abruptly. Pallax sighed deeply, shaking his head as he opened a com channel to the three ships.

"What did we hit, Jack?" shouted Roscoe as he ran up to the bridge. The ominous screech of metal on metal contact echoed in his ears.

"I don't know, checking now" said Jack. Pulling up the Railjack's portside camera, Jack put his hands from his face. "Aw, shit." he groaned inwardly.

"Sir, it's the Aurora and its owner is -" Lt. Lambert was silenced by Roscoe as he walked toward the screen. He answered the com channel and the image of an Excalibur appeared.

"How did you -" Roscoe was interrupted by Pallax.

"So, Roscoe, can I ask you something?" said Pallax as he looked through a data pad.

"Uh, sure. What is it?" Roscoe swallowed his dry throat. He didn't know what Pallax was going to ask, but it didn't sound good.

"I hope you have insurance, Roscoe, because if not, I'm going to sue you to _hell_!" Pallax howled as another image appeared next to the Excalibur.

The collision by the two ships did more than scratch the paint. In fact, they had ripped off the entire top exterior of the Orbiter, exposing the interior wiring to the empty void.


	24. Upgrades II & Firefight

Ch. 20: Upgrades II & Firefight

* * *

Soell System, Planet Threshold

September 1, 2552 / 1245 pm

OSS Plantagenet, Outside Transference Room

* * *

Outside the room were two men garbed in PDAS armor. One of them held an improvised listening device to the metal door, trying to hear the conversation. Meanwhile, his companion stood behind, waiting for him to report.

"What are they saying, George?" asked Lance Corporal Smith. George pushed the device against the metal door as hard as he could. After a few minutes, he shook his head. "I keep hearing muffled voices. I think something about 'credits', 'insurance' and something else." he said.

"Hey, this area is off-limits!" A gruff and authoritative shout startled the duo as they quickly got up. Sargent West stopped in front of the two soldiers, glaring at them. Both George and Smith grumbled as they left. A loud wail could be heard as the door opened.

Rylan was the last person to leave and was still crying. The three ODSTs watched, curious about how much the Revenant had to pay. Their answer was given through the chief engineer's half-delirious sobs.

"Half a million...a mere one thousand left… I'm freaking penniless…" His sobs echoed throughout the ships. George shook his head in sympathy.

"Poor rookie doesn't deserve that" he thought as he made his way back to the improvised barracks.

Unclasping the heavy-duty locks, Pallax lifted the metal crate's cover and took a peek inside. Most of the supply crates had been pried open and recycled into usable materials. However, this crate was special. Inside was a large circular pad, a small data pad and a large red rectangular crystalline AI container.

Lifting the pad's side, he walked around the Railjack until he found a suitable spot. He then synced it to the Railjack's network system. A hum and the sound of machinery whirring to life signalled to him it was all good.

Next, he walked up to the rampway that was connected to the engine room. Looking around, he found an available slot for the data pad. He pushed the data pad until it clicked. Running down the rampway, he saw an inactive station whirred to life.

Finally, he removed the rectangular AI container headed for the bridge. He looked around until found a small button on the white floor. Pressing with his foot revealed a tall metal rack rising out of the floor.

It looked similar to a computer rack found at a company's server room. The only difference was there was no computer that was hardwired to the server. Tapping a few buttons on the extendable console, several clicks could be heard. White smoke steamed out as a portion of the rack slid out forward to reveal a large blue rectangular crystal AI container.

"Roscoe, is everything ready?" he asked. "Yep, everyone has been given their earmuffs and they are wearing it." the Rhino spoke.

As Pallax extended his hands, the cube glowed as it spoke. "Gosh darnit" Pallax thought.

"Operator, what are you doing? You can't be serious?" spoke Ordis. Lowering his hands slowly, Pallax spoke gently to the worried AI. "Look, I understand that you want to be this ship's AI." The cube blinked once, indicating it agreed with Pallax's statement. It was around this time that Roscoe arrived at Pallax's position, ready to assist him.

"However, it is time you had a break from your duties." The cube blinked intermittently as Ordis spoke. "I don't understand. I know my outbursts are a part of loose coding in my programming. I don't mind routine diagnostic checkups."

"Dude, what he means is that we are replacing you with a new AI." Both the Rhino and Excalibur turned toward the voice. Carson was holding the red rectangular AI container in his hands.

"Y-Y-You damned bastards! Just because I have loose coding doesn't mean I'm a dead AI!" the AI container's color changed from blue to a rainbow color and start glitching out. Alarm klaxons rang throughout the ship and steam bellowed from the vents. Both Pallax and Roscoe grabbed the AI container and pulled it with all their might.

An ear-piercing scream and a loud 'pling' reverberated throughout the room as Ordis was forcibly disconnected from the port. Exchanging the shorted-out AI container that was still sparking out, Pallax inserted the new AI container into the port and tapped his foot on the floor panel.

The rack slid down with a hiss. On the main screen, the AI appeared as a top down of a three-dimensional red cage.

"I am Cephalon Cy. You will address me as such, Crew Members."

"Cy, open a com channel to Captain Keyes please" asked Roscoe. The AI disappeared and Keyes appeared on the main screen.

"Well, that was quite the dramatic entry, Mr. Northstar" he addressed the Excalibur, who was locking up the metal crate. "Well, I didn't think the Railjack would leave a gaping gash on my Orbiter's exterior." he said as he glared at Jack.

"Anyways, I assume you want to test something out, Captain Roscoe?" said Keyes. Roscoe nodded and pulled up a schematic of the Railjack. Highlighting a specific part in yellow, he explained to Keyes about the new upgrade.

"Prior to Operation White Comet, we had access to a limited array of Railjack abilities, as the rest were being redeveloped by our R&D technicians. What you are seeing is one of two abilities that was redeveloped."

"This is the Archwing Cannon, our go-to for boarding enemy ships. It first targets a specific part of the enemy's ship via visual confirmation. Once confirmed, it pulls the Tenno back and envelops them in Void energy. Finally, it shoots them out toward the intended target. Right before the Tenno hits the ship's exterior, the Void energy causes the Tenno to temporarily phase out of existence. Once it passes through the ship's exterior, it then phases the Tenno back into reality."

"When they phase back into reality, what does it look like?" asked Keyes. "A giant ball of electricity, sir" said the Rhino. "I have Rylan inside the cannon as we speak. We will be aiming at the hangar bay." Keyes nodded and opened a video channel, which showed the Autumn's hangar bay. Checking it was clear, he gave his approval to Roscoe to begin the demonstration.

"Locking on to the hangar bay door... visual confirmed… launching Tenno now" spoke Cy. A bolt of white and green energy flew from the cannon. Watching his approach, Roscoe saw through Rylan's camera that the door grew larger and more detailed. At the 150 meter mark, the vision was cut as the Tenno was phased out of reality.

Sure enough, a giant ball of electricity crashed to the hangar bay's floor. It dissipated, revealing the sleek humanoid form of the Revenant Warframe. Looking around, he gave a thumbs up to a nearby camera.

"Okay, I'm impressed, Roscoe. But you said that was only the first upgrade. What's the second one?" asked the UNSC captain. Looking at the camera feed, he zoomed in at the Warframe. Pinpricks of light started to pierce the Warframe's skin. The number of pimpricks grew in number and size. Finally, it seemed to have collapsed into itself, as if a miniature black hole had existed in its chest. The black hole popped out of existence.

Looking at Roscoe, who was confirming the Revenant's position, Keyes swallowed his dry throat. If what just happened was real, it was clear the Tenno had gained a very useful technology. In fact, one could say it was more important than a Shaw-Fujikawa slipspace drive.

"Yes, Captain Keyes, what you and the crew witness was real." Keyes jaw dropped open in shock. It was real after all. The Tenno had teleportation technology available. "However… this teleportation tech only brings you back to the Railjack or your ship. You cannot teleport them from your ship to your targeted destination." Roscoe's words cut deep into Keyes's mind.

"So that is it, then," said Keyes. Despite the short demonstration, he really felt that despite the size and power of his ship, he was outclassed by the little ship that was the Railjack. Thankfully, the Tenno were willing to share their technology with them.

"Anyways, I wanted to discuss with you about the ring. Currently, we have the following information from our dispatched drones. It has a diameter of 10,000 kilometers, a surface width of 318 kilometers, its gravity is 0.992 Gs and its atmosphere is mainly comprised of oxygen and nitrogen."

"Science wants an expedition team on the ground on ASAP to collect samples. I was wondering if you want to join us." said Keyes. "Sure, why not?" said Roscoe. If worse came to worst, the Tenno could easily eliminate them. "All right, I will have a group of Marines and Blue Team on the ground with you." With the com channel gone, Roscoe turned on the mic and gave his orders.

"Listen up! In two hours, we are going planetside on the ring's surface. This is a joint expedition with the Autumn's men. Keep your eyes on them at all times and cover each other. If you find something suspicious, contact me or any Tenno. We will come over and investigate."

The crew grunted in response and set off to ensure everything was ready.

* * *

Two hours later

The Railjack streaked through the ring's atmosphere. Jack steered the ship to a suitable location, a large mesa that was connected to an underground network of caves. The tower had a tall vertical tube and a large rectangular base. Once in a while, it shot out a white ball into the air. Marking their position with a beacon, Roscoe watched the skies. The Autumn had dispatched three Pelicans, each filled with men and supplies. The first Pelican landed near the base of the mesa. Looking through his scanner, he saw the Master Chief exit the Pelican's cargo bay. Behind him were the remnants of Noble Team. Six waved his hand toward the Rhino. Waving back at them, he signalled to them that there was a way to get up to the mesa's top. There was a road that led to the top that near Blue Team.

For the next few hours or so, the expedition team set up their firebase on the mesa. Samples were collected, delivered and analyzed by the scientists. Meanwhile, Marines were sent to certain sectors to explore and report back their findings.

Blue Team was assigned to Sector 3-65, which was the strange tall tower. As they approached the tower, they were stopped by a large gap. Noticing a nearby alien console, he Chief tapped it and it flashed to life.

Strange symbols appeared on the screen, but the Chief felt they were familiar. Tapping on a certain symbol, a bridge of light appeared over the gap, allowing the team to crossover the gap.

Stopping on the bridge, the Chief knelt down on the bridge to inspect it.

"Fascinating… this bridge is entirely constructed out of hardlight." A female voice echoed through the Chief's helmet. Cortana analyzed the hardlight bridge with glee, talking about the matrices alignment and other scientific theories.

Entering the tower's base, they looked around. It was larger on the inside and it appeared to be at least five stories high. The interior was supported by large metal cylindrical pillars. Blue light covered the area and there were several consoles on each floor.

The whirring sound of machinery caused the Spartans to raise their rifles as one. Dozens of mechanical drones appeared from the shadows, their blue monocle eyes staring at them. Slowly, but steadily, they surrounded the Spartans in a half-circle formation. At the tips of their laser emitters was a bright blue glow.

"Chief, what are your orders?" asked Emile, who flipped the safety switch off his shotgun.

"Fire at will" and the room descended into chaos.


	25. The Monitor

Ch. 21: The Monitor

* * *

Soell System, Near Planet Threshold

September 1, 2552 / 0550 pm

Alpha Ring, Beam Emitter Tower Interior, Base Level

* * *

The four Spartans rolled out of the way as the drones' lasers converged on their previous spot. The air was filled with the smell of plasma as smoke rose from the scorched floor. The drones then spread out, hunting down the unknown intruders.

Tossing a smoke grenade, Emile waited until the drone gave a shriek, surprised by the unexpected smoke. He blasted two shells into the drone's body. It fell down to the floor and exploded on impact. Two nearby drones sped toward him, their eyes gleaming in the smoke. The Spartan III rushed toward them, shoulder-bashing one in his path. Pivoting his feet, he fired twice at the one who flew past him. He then unsheathed his kukri blade and stabbed the downed drone several times until it exploded.

Several feet away from Emile, Carter leaned forward from his cover. As a drone flew past him, he grabbed its back and pulled it in front of him. Turning around, he saw three nearby drones converge on his positions, firing at him. Using his captive drone as a shield, he fired his Magnum pistol at the nearest drone. By the time he ended the drone's life, his shield was pockmarked with holes and he tossed it away before it exploded in his hands. Swapping from his pistol to the worn-dorn battle rifle, he fired a three-round burst shot at the two drones. A random laser shot caused him to knocked to the ground. Grunting, he slowly pushed himself up and checked his chest armor. Thankfully, it had only scorched the armor. But, a few more well-placed shots would end him.

Meanwhile, Six had taken refuge away from the pillars. He was hiding near a steep ramp in darkness. Noticing a drone that was going to shoot the Chief in the back, he shot it several times until it exploded. Drone after drone, he shot them until he heard a humming behind him. But when he turned around, he was was blasted backwards and landed on his back. Out of the shadows, the new opponent was a slightly blockier version of the drones. Armed with enhanced versions of the laser emitters and a concussion blaster, it was certainly a formidable foe.

"No way can that thing move so quickly" thought Carter as he fired his battle rifle. Unfortunately for him, the new drone disappeared in a ball of light and reappeared next to Carter. Raising his arm, he was blasted sideways and landed on top of Six. His battle rifle flew through the air and landed on the floor, away from its owner.

"Snags, if only…" Emile paused midway when he saw the discarded battle rifle. Grabbing it as he ran, he fired several shots at the drone's back. The drone turned toward him, firing laser bolts at him as he dove toward a nearby pillar.

The Chief ran toward the drone, emptying the remaining rounds into its back. He slid underneath the drone, grabbit from underneath. He spun it around and threw it into a nearby pillar. Dented beyond repair, the drone made a futile attempt to kill the Chief until it was crushed under the metal boot.

Pulling the two other Spartans up, the Chief looked up at the upper floors. Assuming they had the same number of enemies, it would take a while for Blue Team to clear the tower's interior.

"Blue Lead to Alpha, come in," said the Chief.

"Alpha Control here, y'all need reinforcements?"

"Affirmative, get me any available Tenno on the double. I need them to do something for me."

Three thousand meters in the air, Roscoe looked down at the small hole below him. While he was certain he would survive the impact, he was more worried about where he would land. Diving toward the tower, he entered the Beam Emitter and disengaged his Archwing harness. Now free-falling, he angled his body and prepared for impact.

Crashing into the metal floor, he was a bit dazed and shook his head. Several feet away was a console that was connected to a holographic sphere, which showed the tower's interior in real time.

"Okay. Cy, I'm uploading you into the console." Jabbing a small USB stick into the console's port, its screen flashed a multitude of colors as the alien network tried to defend itself from the foreign Cephalon. It reverted back to its blue colored screen seconds later. The cage-like symbol of Cy appeared next to the holographic map.

It blinked a few times before the AI spoke. "I have downloaded all available information regarding the beam emitter tower, the ring and other related topics. However, I suggest Blue Team should evacuate the tower. These Sentinels have only been temporarily shut down. There are too many Enforcers and Aggressors in reserve here."

"Chief, we need to leave now. They have too many drones in their reserve." Sending the data to Cortana, she too also confirmed Cy's information.

"Understood. Blue Lead, out" The Chief gave the signal to retreat and the four Spartans left. Jumping down, the floor cracked from the impact and Roscoe sighed. Taking one last look at the place, he followed Blue Team out.

* * *

Firebase Alpha / 0850 pm

Comm Room

* * *

Pulling up the information from the Beam Emitter's network, Roscoe displayed it for everyone to see. Along with a holographic map of the ring, there were also several lines of alien information and pictures.

"To begin with, this ring is called a Halo. Its designation is Installation Four. It was built roughly a hundred and ninety million years by an ancient civilization called the Forerunners." said Cy.

A semi-grainy picture of three figures appears. Each figure is garbed in a metallic skinsuit, which is covered with some sort of cloth. On the right is a tall figure wearing black and silver cloths and an elaborate mask. On the left is a woman wearing a headdress and garbed in white and silver cloths. Finally, in the center is a short man in a black and red military grade body armor.

"At the time, they were the most technologically advanced race in the system. They were the first to invent slipspace travel, advanced armor systems, AI personalities and other technologies both the Covenant and UNSC use today. Fragmented records indicate they were in a war with a powerful, unknown enemy. Unfortunately, that was all I was able to get. The rest were blocked by an administrator with high clearance."

"Were you able to track this 'administrator', Cy?" asked Roscoe. The AI blinked once, his version of saying 'yes'.

"I tracked the source to an island near the firebase. Cortana will brief on the island itself." Turning the stage over to his fellow colleague, Cortana appeared as a blue woman with dark blue shirt hair. Her body was covered with dark blue lines.

"This island is home to an archive that has the record and schematic of Installation Four. If I can access it, we should be able to navigate around the Halo pretty well. The only problem is that its guarded by a lot of specialized Sentinels."

Pulling up the images of an Aggressor Sentinel and Enforcer Sentinel, she explained to both the Spartans and Tenno about their weapons and weaknesses. Looking at the time, she concluded her brief with a warning.

"Should you encounter any unknown Sentinel or Forerunner entity, do not engage." she said. Everyone in the room nodded and they dispersed for the night.

At dawn, the sounds of Pelican engines warming up was heard throughout the firebase. The plan was to have two Pelicans, one carrying Blue Team and ODSTS, the other carrying veteran Marines commanded by Sargent Johnson. Following behind them would be the Railjack.

As the three aircraft flew toward the island, Roscoe pulled up the holographic map once again. On the surface, the Cartographer looked almost looked like an art museum. The Pelicans and Railjack hovered near the Cartographer, depositing their passengers.

"We will circle around the island if you need transportation. The Pelicans will return to the firebase to refuel." said Lt. Lambert via radio.

"Understood. Let's move out" The four teams made their way to the Cartographer building. Looking around it was largely uninhabited, their footsteps echoing through the dark corridors. Suddenly, a hail of lasers flood the corridors with scorch marks and shouts. Hastily running to cover, the Marines took some crack shots at the Sentinels, occasionally shooting and ducking behind cover.

Roscoe rushed down the hallway, clad in the metallic Iron Skin and shooting them as he ran past them. Each Sentinel was filled with three to five holes. At the end of the hallway was a large open field, surrounded by snowy mountain sides on both sides. Squinting, he could see a ziggurat-like building embedded into the mountain. Parts of the ground rose up to reveal hidden automated turrets. On either side of the mountain side, doors opened and out stepped two silver hunchback figures. One of them was armed with an oversized cannon and the other was armed with dual pistols. The figures both hissed at him and rallied the Sentinels.

"Blue and Silver, get up here now. I got two unknowns on me!"

Roscoe, rolling to a nearby rock as cover, shouted into the comm channel as laser shots pelted the rock. A high-pitched whine and Roscoe ran. The rock behind shattered from the cannon's shot as Roscoe was flung forward from the blast.

Switching to his dual Vasto revolvers, he picked off the Sentinel drones one by one. Behind him, the rest of Silver and Blue Team was focusing their fire on the others. Noticing the guard who was charging up his cannon, Carson rushed toward him; his mouth spewing flames toward the figure.

The said figure blocked the flames with his left arm and roared at the Chroma. Transforming his left arm into an orange hardlight blade, he tried to stab the Warframe. Catching the blade, Carson crushed the blade to pieces and punched him in the chest. Stumbling, he leaped away and fired his cannon in short blasts.

Jumping in front of Carson, Rylan unleashed his ultimate ability. A green-whitish stream of Sentient energy slammed into the guard, who was trying to block it with his arms. Eventually, the laser overpowered him and he screamed as a hole was carved into his chest.

Meanwhile, Blue Team was trying to take down the second guard. Unlike his fallen comrade, he was constantly moving. Teleporting himself, the guard would take pot shots at the Spartans and teleport elsewhere.

The random teleportation and the rate the guard was teleporting was a bit challenging for the Spartans. The guard cackled as Carter missed him by an inch. It then teleported next to Emile, kicking him in the head. The Master Chief jumped on the guard, only to land face first in the snow. As for Six, he was constantly turning his body around, trying to see where the guard would teleport.

He felt the back of his neck tingle and jumped away, shooting the guard who had teleported above his head. The guard simply shot Six's feet, obscuring his view with a plume of snow. Cackling once more, he aimed his pistol at the back of the Rhino's neck. Hearing the crackling of ice, he backed away sharply, dodging a ball of ice.

Raising his right hand again, Jack fire his ice projectile toward the feet. Hitting the sole of the guard's left foot, it froze the entire feet and caused to the guard to yelp in surprise. Landing on the ground, it tried to break the ice. Finally breaking the ice, he looked up and was greeted by the sight of many barrels pointed at his face.

The sound of multiple gunshots echoed through the mountains. Carson was huffing as smoke steamed out of his Gorgon machine gun.

"Man, he was annoying as hell." said Jack as he reloaded his shotgun. Emile grunted in response as he loaded the last shell into his tactical shotgun.

Checking that everyone was ready to go, he called the remaining two teams to come out. The Rhino noted that most of Johnson's Marines had several cuts on their legs, arms and faces. Thankfully, they were not life-threatening.

Entering the ziggurat-like structure, the four teams encountered a large circular bridge. The bridge ended with a circular walkway. Floating in the center was a holographic sphere that was surrounded by lines of indecipherable data. On the outside of the walkway was a model of the Halo superstructure.

Plugging both Cortana and Cy into the holographic computer terminal, the sphere changed into several colors until it reverted back to its normal blue color. The two AIs appeared in front of the four teams, Cy on the right and Cortana on the left. Cortana was blinking her eyes as she processed the incredible amount of data.

"This Halo… I'm impressed that the Forerunners managed to build this superstructure in a short time frame… Hold on, one moment…" Her blue eyes squinted as she processed the last terabytes of data.

"Operator, we should detonate this place immediately" Cy's dusky voice momentarily interrupted Cortana's data processing.

"What are you talking about, Cy?" asked Carson. Cy pulled up a three-dimensional simulation of the Halo. A bright bright pulse shot toward the center and hovered in space. It then dissolved into an energy halo, which was absorbed by the Halo's metal superstructure. Finally, the Halo itself glowed briefly before expelling the energy halo.

"According to the Forerunners, Halo was deemed a 'fortress world', a world that was protected by the best automated security forces and over-watched by a Monitor AI. The Halo has two purposes. The fir- "

Cy gave a short cry of pain as his manifestation flickered. With a buzz of static, he was forcibly ejected from the system. As he caught the data stick, Roscoe noted the orange crystallization that caused the stick to short-circuit.

"Thank the stars! Someone is actually here!"

A high-pitched tinny voice caused the four teams to turn around. The voice came from a floating metal orb that had a single blue mono-eye. The eye glowed as it spoke.

"And your name, Monitor?" inquired Roscoe.

"I am 343 Guilty Spark, Monitor of Installation Four" the AI spoke proudly. Suddenly, the mono-eye turned blood red and spoke with an uncharacteristically deep voice.

"And you are not allowed to be here. Begone, non-Reclaimers!" A pillar of light paralyzed the five Tenno as they were teleported elsewhere. Johnson stared in shock and angrily grabbed the orb's side.

"Where the hell did you send them?" the Sargent howled, shaking the AI.

"To the one place where no one could survive, Reclaimer" said the AI.


	26. The Dead Reincarnated

Ch.22: The Dead Reincarnated

September 3, 2552 / 0620 pm

Alpha Ring, Flood Containment Center

"Where the hell are we, Roscoe?" Jack yelled as he tried to find his footing. After they were teleported, the five Warframes found themselves in a dark room. Almost immediately, they were assailed by a sick smell, something that resembled rotting flesh mixed with methane and other odorous gases.

Tapping his foot, the Revenant was slightly terrified that the floor was twitching, as if it were alive. Flashing their lights on, they found the walls were covered in a red and yellowish flesh-like substance. Occasionally, it twitched or expelled some sort of gas.

"So, anybody getting chills about this? Its like Janus all over again." said Carson. Pallax nodded and looked around nervously. The whole place reminded of him the fight to end the Infested behemoth. What was supposed to be a chance meeting with a Cephalon turned into a deadly trap. In the end, they had to kill the behemoth through two phases. The first phase involved killing from the inside. Once his core organs were heavily damaged, they escaped toward space and killed it outside.

"Argh, the smell is getting stronger." spoke Jack through a muffled hand. At the end of the corridor was a gigantic underground hole that was covered by a laser grid. Repair Sentinels flew around, burning any infected flesh that tried to corrode the grid's internal structure or wall grips. Unfortunately, the grid appeared to be collapsing, the laser net flickering.

"Hm, I don't think I remember the Infested being this smart." said Jack as he pointed at the reanimated rotten flesh. Magnifying his view, the others could see he was right. Unlike the Infested, who tended to cover everything in their mucus-like flesh in disarray, this new Infested was actively trying to corrode the trap.

"Whatever it is, we have to exterminate it here. Rylan, any consoles up ahead?" The Revenant pointed up and marked it on the navigation map. "Four floors above us, I got Aggressors and Enforcers crowding on us."

"Double-time it, we gotta get out of here" Almost immediately, a swarm of Sentinels charged toward the five Warframes. The first dozen were melted to scrap metal by Carson's Spectral Scream. Others were frozen solid by Jack's Freeze ability and fell down, shattering upon impact. Leaping over Carson's head, Pallax summoned a blue sword crackling with energy. With each stroke, his blade emanated energy slices toward the Sentinels, cutting them in half.

As Pallax and Carson cleared the path, Roscoe acted as the rear guard, shooting at any intruders behind them. He pistol-whipped one in the face and crushed it with his foot. Checking his status bar, he reactivated his Roar, allowing the group to have additional damage buffs.

About ten minutes later, they had only reached the second floor. The neverending swarm seem to grow larger and thicker with Sentinels, their hums becoming a cacophony of buzzes, akin to to that a bee swarm.

The swarm was instantly frozen, covered in thick ice. With a single motion, the swarm was crushed to pieces, giving the Tenno a bit of breathing room. Unfortunately, that was also the last of Jack's energy as his meter showed zero.

"Any Energy Revives left?" said the Frost. Roscoe deployed the canister, its blue energy waves recharging them. "This is the last one we have, so don't waste your energy." warned the Rhino. Noting that everyone else was recharged, they continued on their way.

Finally, they reached the fourth floor. Stepping out of the hazy smoke that was coming from the burning piles of Sentinels, the four Tenno ran toward the console, Carson staying back to burn the onslaught of drones.

Jabbing the stick in, Rylan raised his hands and started to tap the console's holographic symbols. In a half-moon formation, the rest of the Tenno shot down any daring Sentinels. Moving the final symbol in place, Rylan was about to finish the hack when everything went out. For a few seconds, the pace was in darkness. The power returned, only to illuminate the room in red light.

Peering down, the four Tenno watched as the laser grid flickered out of existence. The Infested stopped moving, as if it were waiting for something. A loud chattering noise came from the pit. In the blink of an eye, the sides of the pit were covered in the reanimated flesh, the Infested-like being trying to escape the pit.

"Are you sure you didn't do anything?" asked Pallax as he ran past the Sentinels, who were now trying to contain the Infested-like swarm from escaping. "I swear to the stars I did nothing! _They_ did that, not me!" shouted Rylan over the cacophony of laser shots.

Turning past a corner, their navigation map was updated with a new route. Just ahead of them was the exit, which was blocked by a door. Taking a peek behind him, Rylan sprinted as fast as possible. Somehow, the Infested had destroyed the Sentinel drones in the time they had past the corner. He had never seen the Infested take out a swarm of MOA drones in two seconds. On average, it took about ten seconds. This new variant was too much to handle for him. A buzz of static was replaced with a squawk.

"Ensign Rylan, can you hear me? It's Sargent West, we are in position" spoke the ODST. After the Tenno were teleported, Sargent Johnson flew into a rage that no one had ever seen before. Normally, he was the kind of guy who would joke around with his soldiers while in combat. The only time he was really mad was if the mission went FUBAR or his superiors ignored him and his team.

Even after beating the stupid metal orb, the AI would not reveal where he sent West's superiors. Thankfully, Cortana found them and was relieved they were alive. That was until she discovered what the place was really about. Directing them to a weapons cache, she instructed them in a frantic voice to keep an eye out for the Flood.

As it turned out, the Flood was the Forerunners' enemies millennia ago. They were summed up as space zombies, infecting and taking over planets and sentient life wherever they went. After exhausting every method, the Forerunners built the Halos to wipe out sentient life throughout the system. With no more hosts to infect, the Flood died out. However, during the long war, the Forerunners had captured some Flood specimens and placed them in stasis to study them. Now, the Tenno had inadvertently released the Flood from their stasis prison.

The five green blinking dots moved fast toward them, with a swarm of red behind them. Standing far away from the door was Gold Team, who had wisely stood outside the only entrance, ready to run at first sight.

A loud bang caused West to magnify his view on the metal door. There was the imprint of a fist punching the door. Several more imprints appeared. Suddenly, the door was ripped apart by the shoulder charge that Roscoe's Rhino Charge. West flashed his visor beams at them, signaling them to follow him.

"Heitz, Smith, are the traps ready?" Heitz nodded and pointed at the C4 puutied, which were stuck in the ceiling. Meanwhile, Smith flashed his thumbs-up at the sargent, the auto-turrets' optics flashed red.

"OK. Now, run for your life!" The four ODSTs ran, the Tenno close behind. A loud explosion caused the ceiling to fall on top of the Flood. Unfortunately, the oncoming rush simply swept away the debris. Meanwhile, the poor automated turret was crushed after emptying its machine-gun rounds into the monster.

"Cortana, where the heck is my exit point?" shouted West as he vaulted over a ledge. "I'm working on it! Just hang on." said the AI. She watched their progress, guiding them through the shortcut.

"Turn left here! Exit is one hundred meters ahead of you!" As they turned left, they saw the gate, which abruptly closed, denying them their exit.

"Looks like the Admin is pissed" said Cortana as she feverishly tried to hack Guilty Spark's control.

"GUes I don't have a choice" thought Roscoe as he pulled a metal crate from his inventory. Prying it open, he dumped the contents on the metal floor. It was mostly finished, with a few parts that needed some last-minute assembly.

"What the hell are you doing, Roscoe. This isn't the time to build your dream Ikea furniture!" shouted Pallax as he prepared himself for the oncoming onslaught. "Just help me, damn it! This might just save our lives." said the Rhino as he connected the gravity skid to the bottom.

Sighing, the Excalibur took a quick look at the craft and tossed his hands into the air. "Fine, fine. This better work" he grumbled. The four ODSTS took cover behind several thick metal squares.

Carson had already activated his ultimate ability, aiding his sentry in burning the Infested. The smell of burning rotten flesh permeated the air.

"Okay, it's done. Carson, get back here now." said Roscoe. Carson immediately stop spewing flames from his mouth and bullet-jumped toward Roscoe. By now, his weapon was floating in the air. It opened to reveal a large circular array of panels that was slowly turning clockwise. At the end of the array was a long magnetic barrel. At the back of the array was some sort of metal rods sticking out.

Despite the relatively quick assembly, it looked very fragile. Several parts were wombling and threatened to fall out at any minute. "I don't think this prototype will hold for long." the Chroma silently thought. Standing behind the rods were the rest of the Tenno.

"So, what is this thing?" asked Rylan. "Its an array generator. It essentially absorbs Void energy and dishes out a bigger version of the Void Blast." said Roscoe as he rotated his neck. "Then, that means…" said Rylan. Roscoe nodded, confirming his answer. "Besides, its time we left the cat out of the bag"

Stepping backwards, the five Tenno activated their Transference, materializing into the physical world. The ODSTs noticed them and stared at the teenagaers, unable to comprehend what was happening.

Pulling the arms back, they waited. The sentry's mouth closed and returned to the back of the Chroma Warframe. With no flames to burn them, the Infested surged past the corner and swarmed the corridor.

As the swarm grew closer, the Tenno thrusted their arms forward, Void energy flowing out of their hands. The energy hit the rods and absorbed it. Meanwhile, the panels spun faster and Void energy coalesced into the barrel. After emptying their Amps, they immediately switched to their secondary powers. That too was absorbed by the rods. Witha roar, the barrel unleashed the contained Void energy. It pierced the fleshy mass with ease, causing the monster to howl in pain. It clearly had no way to counter this new weapon. IT then started to grow at an uncontrollable rate, much like a cancer cell. With too much pressure inside, it exploded, covering the Operators and Warframes in red and brown liquid. For the ODSTS, their PDAS armor generated an energy dome over them, protecting from the biological waste.

Waving his arms in circles, Jack tried to shake of the putrid waste on his body. The others were doping similar movements. Their faces were scrunched up, trying not to breathe the disgusting smell.

"Y'all think the smell will stick on us?" asked Carson. Pallax shook his head. "I don't think so. Once we get back to our Warframes, the smell should be gone. If not, that's going to be a problem" said the Excalibur user.

"Uh, sir?" Pallax turned around to face Lance Corporal Smith. He sighed and raised his hands up.

"All will be explained soon, Lance Corporal. For now, we need to get out of here and return to the Firebase." he said. He then disappeared, his body dissipating in a swirl of energy. The Excalibur Warframe groaned in pain and walked toward the raised gate, the others following behind.

"Did we kill it, Captain?" asked West. He surveyed the corridor, covered in the brown-reddish biological waste. Roscoe shook his head slowly.

"No, West. We did not kill it. We have only delayed the inevitable outcome." he said grimly.

* * *

**Author's Section**

**Finally, the cat is out of the bag. The Tenno have revealed their true forms to the humans. No doubt the UNSC will have questions about what they really are. Now, time to answer a few questions.**

**1\. Alad V will not be making an appearance in this story. However, he will appear in a potential sequel.**

**2\. As some of you may have noticed, the Tenno pretty can much steam roll everything the Haloverse can throw at them, be it UNSC Spartans, Covenant Sangheili, or Flood forms. In my opinon, the only real 'equal' the Tenno have is the Forerunners. That's why I tried to make the Forerunner guardians as formidable as possible. With the addition of the guardians, that means the events of Halo CE is slightly out of canoncity. The guardians that appeared are Promethean Knight Commanders. In the original events of Halo CE, Guilty Spark spoke about the Prometheans, saying that a company could easily defeat the enemies. **

**Finally, a quick update for my readers. I will be going back to university next week on Tuesday, so that means I'm may not be able to write or publish any new chapters. Despite this change, I will try my best to do so. **

**Once again, I will look forward to answering your questions and concerns. **

**\- The Phantom Traveler**


	27. Ch23: A Change in Plan

Ch. 23: A Change in Plan

* * *

Soell System, Near Alpha Ring

September 5, 2552 / 0856 am

Near Alpha Ring, Deep Space

* * *

Thel Vadamee gazed upon the white metal ring in wonder. He had seen various architecture before, from dull prefabricated buildings to the floating wonder that was High Charity. Yet, he had never imagined how beautiful it was.

A short cry of rage caused the Supreme Commander to turn to his left, where the Minor Prophet was shaking his gnarled withered fists at the ring. Magnifying the view, he saw the white rectangular ship that had escaped them several days ago.

"Those heretics… how dare they defile the Sacred Ring, without any knowledge of its importance for the Great Journey." hissed the Prophet. He turned toward Thel, his face twitching slightly.

"I order you, Supreme Commander, to purge the heretics with extreme prejudice. However, do not harm the Ring or you will be executed. Do you understand?"

Thel nodded as he placed his right fist above his heart. "Yes, Minor Prophet, Your will is my command" The Prophet nodded and the holographic projection dissipated. Placing his hands on the railing, he barked his orders to the Shipmasters. Watching his vanguard move forward, he leaned back on his command chair.

This time, they would not fail.

* * *

"Slipspace rupture detected. Five CCS-class battlecruisers and one CAS-class assault cruiser. CAS identified as the Seeker of Truth and CCS as the Truth and Reconciliation. Two battlecruisers are moving toward us. ETA seven minutes."

"That's interesting. Where is the other half?" mused Cortana as she watched two CCS battlecruisers drift toward them. She turned to face Captain Keyes, who had crossed his arms and was smoking his corncob pipe.

"It seems that he has ordered the rest to stay at Reach" She leaned sideways to see her colleague answer her. Cy glowed as he spoke and uploaded the relevant transmission to the main screen.

"That means he must be pretty confident he can take us out right now," said Keyes. He changed the screen to the starboard camera, which showed the Railjack floating next to them. He turned to face Roscoe, who was now on screen. It was hard to believe that the humongous Rhino Warframe was actually an immortal fourteen year old male teenager. Then again, it did explain why he never saw them eat or drink anything. They only had to sleep a few hours and they were ready to go at a moment's notice.

"Everyone has been evacuated from the firebase, Captain Keyes" reported the Rhino. Keyes nodded, looking offscreen for a second. He watched as the last Pelican entered the hangar bay, while technicians in hazmat suits sprayed the Pelican with high-pressure washers as it landed.

The revelation that a monstrous sentient biological threat had been unleashed from its imprisonment shook the Autumn's confidence. Adding in the additional testimony of the other teams caused morale to plummet. The UNSC had never dealt with an actual sentient biological threat before. Most of the time, it was often biological threats, such as nerve gas.

The only saving grace the Pillar of Autumn had was the Flood's apparent destruction. However, despite this victory, Roscoe warned them that this was only a minor setback. As a precaution, he advised Keyes to recall the firebase personnel immediately. As it turned out, he was right. The Flood had slowly spread itself throughout every underground nook and cranny in the Halo.

However, when Roscoe asked Sgt Johnson about the Chief, the sargent responded that he monitor had teleported him away from the others.

With the last personnel on board, Keyes ordered the pilots to move the Pillar forward. He estimated they could at least take down three or four battlecruisers, if they were careful. He watched the Railjack cloak itself and watched its movement as it sped toward the battlecruiser on the left.

Sitting in the Archwing Launcher and strapped to his Archwing was Roscoe, who was looking at the approaching battlecruiser. In a matter of a few seconds, he would be launched toward the ship, where he and the others would fight their way to the command bridge.

Three minutes passed and he was launched toward the battlecruiser. His vision turned black as he was temporarily phased out of existence. A second later, he was crouching on the scorched floor, smoke flowing off his back. On his right, were a pair of Sangheili Elites, stunned at their would-be intruder.

One Elite rushed him, his plasma sword ignited in his right hand. The other Elite slammed his hand on an emergency panel. The sound of alarm klaxons rang throughout the ship. Roscoe moved sideways, grabbing the Elite's arm as he swung the sword downward. With a hard grip, he twisted his arm violently, causing the Sangheili to drop the sword. Catching it, he swung the sword vertically, bisecting the Elite in half.

The other Elite grabbed his plasma rifle, firing at the hulking intruder as it approached him with increasing speed. Grabbing the barrel, the Rhino pulled the Elite toward him and stabbed the Elite in the stomach before pulling it out.

Turning around, he saw a squad of Unggoy led by a Yig-Kar shieldbearer take aim at him. A ball of electricity blocked the shots. Rising out of the smoke was Pallax, armed with his Deacon rifle. He nodded at Roscoe and rushed down the corridor, shooting at the squad.

Meanwhile, Carson had landed in the atrium, a large circular room covered in a dull purple light. He looked around and sighed. The sentry detached itself from his back, ready to follow its master's bidding. He roared once and unleashed a plume of reddish-blue flames, simultaneously burning and electrifying his victims. The air was filled with the smell of burnt flesh and ozone. Taking one last look around him, he left the carnage and ran toward the engine room.

"Keep hammering the ship! Transfer our energy into Helix Missiles ASAP!" Aboard the Railjack, Rylan pressed a holographic button, directing the system to transfer the energy to the Helix missiles. West and Heitz were manning the turrets, shooting down any Banshees that tried to get close. For the past five minutes, the Railjack had been circling the battlecruiser; shooting Helix Missiles at any exposed vents.

"It should be any minute now" said Jack. He glanced at the upper righthand corner, a blinking green dot flashed three times. "Heitz, West, get off the turrets. Smith and Jenkins, switch with them." He could hear a muted grunt in the back.

"I have control, stand by" said Roscoe. A minute later, a blue IFF tag appeared over the ship, designated it as an ally. Jack chuckled as the battlecruiser moved to the left, taking aim at the unsuspecting enemy.

Firing the fore energy projector, the laser beam collided with the shields. Unfortunately, the shields didn't last very long. The laser carved a giant hole through its sides, exposing its occupants to space.

Turning the battlecruiser to its left, Roscoe pushed its engines to its maximum speed. Purple bolts of light flew toward the bridge, but it was blocked by the energy shields. The missiles' impact against the shields reverberated throughout the ship. Pulling up another screen, he watched the Autumn engage with another battlecruiser. He saw the Autumn fire its MAC cannon and watched as the uranium rounds tear through the battlecrusier's armor plating. It promptly exploded a few seconds later.

The two Covenant battlecruisers passed each other. However, Roscoe had enough speed to overtake his counterpart, whose ship was hit by the aft plasma energy projector. Looking back, he could see some flames and smoke from the scorched armor.

Regardless, Roscoe's ship surged toward the Seeker of Truth, which was a mere 500 meters away. All he had to do was either ram straight into the ship or fire the fore energy plasma projector. Either way, the Supreme Commander was a dead Sangheili.

Unfortunately, this was not the day the Supreme Commander would die. Keyes called Roscoe over an encrypted radio channel.

"I just got word from the Chief" said Keyes. The UNSC captain mentally prepared himself for the anger and hate he was about to receive.

"Is he all right? What did he say?" asked Roscoe. He had been anxiously waiting if the Spartan had survived.

"He's all right. However, the Flood's hasn't been stopped. In fact, he managed to stop the Halo from firing a few minutes ago." He paused to allow his message to sink in. The idea that he and his crew would have died a few minutes ago was slightly terrifying. It was not the way he would have wanted to die.

"So, what now? Does he have a solution?" asked Roscoe.

"Yes, he does. He plans on detonating the Autumn's engines, which will have a domino effect on the Halo itself." said Keyes.

There was a pause as Roscoe growled. Keyes understood his feelings quite well. To retreat when your prey was right in front of you would piss off anyone.

"Fine, I will cover your retreat, Captain. Prep the Pelicans ASAP and tell everyone to bring only their essentials." the Rhino said. Keyes nodded immediately and the channel closed.

Roscoe harshly turned the steering wheel to the right, causing the battlecruiser turn rightly very quickly. As he did so, he deployed some mines and smokescreen to cover his tracks. While it wouldn't stop the Covenant from advancing, it would slow them down for a minute or two.

And that extra minute could either make or break the Chief's plan.

* * *

Author's Section

Finally managed to get this out. I been swamped with homework lately. Hopefully, this makes up for lost time

As usual, I look forward to answering your questions and concerns!

\- The Phantom Traveler


	28. Chain Reaction

Ch.24: Chain Reaction

* * *

Soell System, Alpha Ring

September 5, 2552 / 0920 am

Three miles east of the Cartographer

* * *

The Warthog drove past a cluster of bushes and flew through the air. It then landed back on the ground, causing the four-wheel drive, all-terrain mobility vehicle to bounce slightly. Pressing the medal to the pedal, the Chief swerved past a pair of Aggressor Sentinels near a tall oak tree.

After he had been teleported by the Monitor, he was guided to a large circular elevator, which took him to an underground chamber. The chamber contained a device called the Activation Index. Before the Halo could fire, it required the Index to be inserted into its data port first. The data port was connected to the Core, which allowed the systems to automatically fire the Halo.

Once he retrieved the index, the monitor teleported the Spartan and himself back to the Core. However, Cortana revealed Halo's true purpose to the Chief. Unfortunately, Guilty Spark rammed the index into the Core, causing the system to begin the firing sequence.

From there, it was a race against time. The Chief had to destroy three Pulse Phase Generators to stop the Halo firing and he did so. Now, he was trying to reach the rendezvous point.

Looking up, he could see the Autumn descending toward the desert. With a muffled explosion, the Halcyon-class cruiser rested on the desert ground. As he got closer, he saw Pelicans flying out of the hanger and landing near the grounded ship.

Sargent Johnson greeted the Spartan with a hearty slap on the shoulder. "Where the hell have you been?" he asked. "Mostly underground, sir," replied the Chief. He gave a quick salute to the sargent and made his way toward Captain Keyes, who was standing inside a Pelican's cargo bay.

He looked up and pulled his corncob pipe out of his mouth. "Did anything follow you, Chief?" The Spartan shook his head. "I don't think so, sir," he said. Keyes nodded and stared at the sky. He could see the stolen CCS-class battlecruiser coming toward them in the distance.

* * *

"Three minutes until we reach the Autumn, Roscoe"

In the bridge, Pallax and Carson had joined their captain and were trying to do their best with the Covenant consoles. Carson was at the engineering console, while Pallax was the weapons console. Unfortunately, Roscoe had the bad luck of manning both the comm console, energy control console and the captain's chair.

"It would be much easier if they had a master control panel at the captain's chair." Roscoe grumbled as he bullet-jumped from one console to another.

"It's your fault for not bringing any Specters with you. Otherwise, you wouldn't be complaining right now." said Carson over the din of explosions.

"Uh, sorry to interrupt your lovely conversation, fellas; but we are running out of torpedoes." said Pallax. A flashing red sign indicated they only had twenty torpedoes left.

A larger explosion caused the ship to shake even more. Roscoe gripped the sides of the captain's chair to balance himself. A hologram appeared and the back was blinking red. The shields were failing and the Covenant had scored a direct hit on the rear engine's armor. Another hit and they would lose their speed.

Roscoe activated the aft plasma projector to fire in short bursts, hoping it would drive their pursuers away. Even with the Railjack firing its Tunguska Cannon at near point blank range, it only scorched the outer layer of its thick armor.

"Thirty seconds, Roscoe. Make your decision"

The Rhino grumbled in frustration and hailed Captain Keyes. "Prep the Pelicans. We will be conducting a moving board maneuver." said the Rhino. "Understood, Roscoe. We are ready to go" said Keyes. Roscoe squeezed the chair's arms as it began to descend. The hangar bays were open and awaited its new occupants.

Changing the main screen to show the port side camera, he watched a trail of Pelicans fly toward the open hangar bays. Most of them got in unscathed, but a few received glancing scratches from the plasma turrets. As soon as the last Pelican entered the bay, the doors were shut by magnetic locks.

"Dump everything we have at the Covenant, Pallax" ordered Roscoe. Pallax nodded and stabbed the holographic button. The sound of torpedoes being launched filled the air as it surged toward the Covenant.

"Keyes, do it now" said Roscoe over the intercom.

"Roscoe, we aren't in the exosphere yet. Are you crazy?" said Keyes as he made his way to the bridge.

"Just do it, Keyes. They won't expect us to blow it up." said Roscoe. There was a sigh on the other end. An audible click could be heard on the other end.

Back on the Halo's surface, there was a double flash of light as the Autumn's engines exploded. The giant explosion caused a chain reaction on the surface. The segments linking the Halo together exploded one after another. With a final explosion, the ring was engulfed in a white light.

Roscoe peered through the stern camera. As the light faded away, he could see there were no traces of the ancient metal ring. Looking up, he was surprised that the Supreme Commander had survived the massive explosion. He could tell that it was heavily damaged from the keel's scorched armor panels. Behind it was the remains of the Minor Prophet's battlecruiser, adrift in space.

"So, what now?" Roscoe turned around to face the haggard face of Captain Keyes. He looked tired, his semi-pepper hair in a complete mess. He was also puffing a few smoke rings from his corncob pipe. The UNSC captain pulled out a small red tobacco pouch and refilled the pipe before lighting it on fire.

"For now, we will return to Reach to pick up any survivors. I had Carson delete the AI that was on this battlecruiser."

Keyes nodded and exited the bridge, the doors hissing quietly as the crew began its voyage back to the UNSC's former stronghold.

* * *

Author's Notes

And the Halo:CE arc comes to a close. As for the next arc (Halo 2), I plan on going into detail on what has happened in the Warframe Universe, as Roscoe and the crew have not learned about the Tenno's efforts to establish a proper government and a sovereign nation.

As always, I look forward to your reviews!

\- TPT


	29. Ten Years' Worth of News

Ch.25: Ten Years' Worth of News

* * *

Sol System, Earth

October 22, 2552 / 0800 am

Orbital Defense Platform 3, Cairo Station

* * *

The trip to Earth was harrowing. The return to Reach, the rendezvous with the Gettysburg and Vice Admiral Whitcomb's sacrifice were the three important events Roscoe and his crew remembered vividly. Once they were authorized landing clearance by the traffic controllers, the Tenno were whisked away by ONI officers and taken a nondescript interrogation cell. The concrete walls were black, and a lone circular lightbulb illuminated the room. The five Tenno stood against the black walls, facing an opaque observation mirror. Between then was a table, where the interviewer sat. On the other side of the wall were ONI Admiral Parangosky and UNSC Fleet Admiral Lord Hood.

Inside the cell, each Tenno told the ONI interviewer a quick summary of the events that had transpired. From the discovery of the Halo ring to Whitcomb's sacrifice, they told them everything. However, the events told was not the highlight of the interview. Somewhere in between, the Tenno reverted to their Operator forms.

The sudden change threw the interviewer off course momentarily. For twenty-five minutes, the Tenno explained their origins to the interviewer. Both Parangosky and Hood watched with interest, wondering how their ally could change the tide of the war.

Afterwards, they were released and given free rein to explore the space station. The sight of Earth drew Roscoe to the window, who stared at it. Unlike the Earth that was covered and overturned by the massive vines, this Earth was pristine and full of vibrant life. He could see the tiny ridges that made up the huge mountains on the surface.

He heard a whistle behind him and turned around. He saw Rylan wave his hand toward him, beckoning him to join them in the conference room. He walked into the room and sat down. Pallax was at the projector, fiddling with it. On the right side of the table sat the Tenno, who were bored out of their minds. On the left sat various high-ranking members of the UNSC.

The Excalibur clapped his hands to get his attention. "All right, I have some interesting news for you guys," he said as he stood near the projector screen. He first pulled a satellite image that showed a view of the Gateway from above. It was pockmarked with craters and covered with black smoke.

"First of all, I would like to introduce the Gateway to the UNSC" said the Excalibur. He tapped a button on the conference table. In the middle of the table, a circular holoprojector popped out and displayed the image.

The rotating image of the pyramid surrounded by the five pillars didn't seem surprise the UNSC officials. To them, it didn't look impressive at all. If anything, they wondered about why the top half looked so corrupted and ugly due to the black-reddish hue.

Lord Hood raised his hand and asked, "Can you explain why the top half is covered in that black-reddish hue?"

Pallax looked and shook his head. "Sorry, I don't have an answer for that. We are still trying to figure out how to control its functions right now. That hue is the least of our priorities right now."

Lord Hood nodded and Roscoe rose his hand. "How long has passed since we disappeared?"

Pallax lifted both hands and wiggled his fingers. "Ten years, Roscoe" he said. He then turned his attention back to the satellite photo.

"This picture was taken two hours after you guys disappeared. Now, please watch this amazing time-lapse!" He pressed the play button. In the span of ten minutes, all four Tenno were leaning toward the screen. Dotted across the picture were what appeared to be cities or bases of some sort. White names in bold appeared under each city.

He pointed at the top region, which was marked a red dotted line. The line was marked as the border for the newly-established Tenno homeland. The cities of Kirklareli and Edirna served as garrison cities for the Mercury Legionaries, whose clan members patrolled the northwestern region vigilantly. Meanwhile, Kesan was a port city for the underwater combat clans. So far, Uskudar was finished and the survey teams were exploring Ecsabat.

"So, we know that this is Turkey. What about Constantinople? Is it still intact?" asked Roscoe. Pallax shifted his feet. "I don't know about that" said Pallax. He clicked on the picture, which zoomed in on the former capital of the Byzantine Empire. "The survey groups found the city in intact. However, most of the historical sites are either destroyed or severely damaged."

As he told Roscoe, Pallax showed him several pictures. The Pillar of Constantine was cut in half, as if it had been struck by a vicious sword. The Horses of Saint Mark were filled with massive holes. Two of the horses were missing their heads.

Roscoe shook his head sadly as he swiped through each image. He had hoped they would be spared from the tenacious vines. He nodded at Pallax to continue his presentation.

After the battle, Councilor Vay Hek was summoned to meet the Grineer Queen. Fed up with his failures, he was sentenced to death through Rathuum. Of course, this was a rigged battle to the death. Even with his cybernetic enhancements, he was defeated and beheaded.

However, his death barely made it into the headlines. In an unusual move, the Grinner Queen, Worm the Younger, declared the area surrounding the Gateway as 'free territory'.

Almost immediately, Teshin Dax claimed the territory for the Tenno. He explained in his system-wide broadcast that the territory would be a haven for all refugees in the Orokin System. In return, the refugees would aid the Tenno's efforts in building cities and garrison bases.

As millions of refugees made the arduous journey to Earth, the Syndicates met with Teshin Dax to establish bylaws. The Syndicates believed that the simplistic bylaws would evolve into a constitution. Over the years, the bylaws were amended, and governing institutions were created. In 625 POE, the Constitution of the Tenno Federation was completed and ratified by many of the Tenno clans.

Browsing through a digital copy of the Constitution, Lord Hood highlighted several sentences with his stylus pen. For the most part, the way it was written was identical to the United States Constitution. However, it was also unusual.

First, the executive branch was an oligarchy, specifically a particracy. While it did not have any political parties, it did have Syndicates, factions that believed in a specific cause. The Star Council, led by its Head Councilor, Teshin Dax, would be responsible for governing the Tenno. They had the power to appoint judges, issue executive orders and were responsible for the welfare of the Tenno and its allies.

The Council can either pass or veto a proposal through a simple majority. On the other hand, Parliament could override the Council's veto with a two-thirds majority.

Second, the legislative branch was a unicameral legislature. The General Assembly was where clan representatives voted on either passing or rejecting proposals. The representatives were randomly selected and placed into committees for the current session.

Like the Council, the General Assembly's method of approving and vetoing proposals was through simple majority. It also held the power to impeach any Councilor for 'high crimes of misdemeanor'.

Finally, the judicial branch, the High Court, was the highest court in the judiciary system. The court has both appellate and original jurisdiction. It had seven justices, led by the Chief Justice. As the High Court, it determined whether the laws were constitutional.

Admiral Parangosky skimmed over the Constitution, uninterested by the Tenno's effort to create a civilized nation. She respected the fact that the Tenno were trying to change their reputation. However, she wanted information on weapons and any offensive technology. She placed the data pad down on the table and interlinked her fingers together.

"All of this talk is interesting. However, we want information on weapons." She spoke coldly toward the Excalibur. The Excalibur nodded his head and clicked ahead on his presentation.

"I understand your need for weapons. As such, I have a few weapons that might interest you."

The first weapon shown was the Glaxion, a Corpus-made weapon. It was able to freeze its foes in seconds and deliver a chilling death to its victims. The UNSC officials watched a video of a Corpus crewman being attacked by the Glaxion. The unlucky Corpus crewman was enveloped by the growing ice, unable to move. It then exploded, leaving shattered frozen pieces of him on the floor.

The second weapon shown was the Boltor, an iconic Tenno-made weapon. Known for its ability to impale enemies to the wall, it became a favorite among the Tenno. Once again, the UNSC was presented with a video that showcased the Boltor's power.

The final weapon shown was the Miter, a Grineer-made weapon. Used by the Grineer Eviscerators, it launched high velocity saws, capable of slicing apart any foe. The officials watched as an Infested Charger was torn apart by the saw blades. It then dissolved into nothingness.

These three weapons were only a handful of weapons shown to the officials. All of them were efficient and brutal in its own unique way. In the end, the UNSC choose four weapons to mass-produce. They were the Glaxion, the Boltor, the Synapse and the Miter.

As they concluded the meeting, Lord Hood shook hands with the Tenno, thanking them for saving the Autumn. The Tenno simply nodded in return. As he was about to leave, he turned on his heel and faced them.

"Before I go, would you be interested in attending the awards ceremony? I believe the Master Chief will be coming." he said.

Roscoe nodded. "Thank you for inviting us. It would be an honor." Lord Hood smiled and tipped his cap toward them. He then headed for the nearest elevator, which would take him to the command center.

"At least we have time to relax. How long till the ceremony starts?" drawled Carson as he placed his feet on top of the conference table. "It starts in two hours, Carson" said the Frost Prime. He too placed his feet on the conference table, ready to take a long nap. Within minutes, both Warframes were snoring quite loudly.

"By the way, Roscoe, I need to you something" said Pallax. He pulled Roscoe to a dimly lit corner. "What is it?" he asked.

"Two things", said the Excailbur. "One, we heard a rumor that Silvana and the Silver Grove has reappeared. We already dispatched a team of diplomats to begin a dialogue with her." Roscoe nodded as he recalled his memories.

According to mission reports, Silvana was an Archimedian who served as one of Margulis's assistants. After Margulis was executed, she fled to Earth and hid in the overgrown forest. Due to an awry experiment gone wrong, she was permanently bounded to the forest via Transference. As such, she was able to control the forest at will. After encountering a Tenno, she tried to scare her away. Unfortunately, it didn't work and it drew the Grineer's attention. Th eTenno defended the SIlver Grove valiantly. In return, Silvana provided the Titania Warframe blueprint and disappeared.

"What do you think her demands will be?" asked Roscoe. Pallax rubbed his chin in thought. "Renewable energy, recycling methods, that kind of stuff. If we can do that, she might give us what we need."

"But will she though? We are asking her if we can have all of Turkey for free. Even with the Grineer gone, there might be something else on the horizon." warned Roscoe. Pallax shrugged. "I don't know. Let's hope the diplomats can persuade her."

"Second, your sister is awake." Roscoe grabbed Pallax's shoulder and squeezed them tightly. "When did she wake up?" he asked. "About four months ago, we finally got rid of the Transference glitch. Emily opened her eyes and started walking." Roscoe gave a sigh of relief.

For years, he had feared his younger sister would be in a permanent coma. It was rare for a severe glitch to occur. The fact she was awake gave Roscoe a glimmer of hope.

"Anyways, I'm going back to the Aurora and try to patch her up. See ya." The Excalibur got up and left, leaving the Rhino with two snoring Warframes.


	30. Battle of Earth

Chapter 26: Battle of Earth

* * *

Sol System, Earth  
October 2, 2552 / 1000 am  
Orbital Defense Platform 3, Cairo Station Armory

* * *

"Do you have any idea how much this tech costs, son?"

The bald gunnery sergeant tossed a scorched piece of armor on the steel table. The Master Chief watched in silence as he was berated by the older veteran. He understood how much this cost and how important it was to the UNSC. Had Cortana told the gunnery sergeant about his situation, perhaps he would be more understanding.

Sensing that it was an appropriate time to end the conversion, he slipped on his new Mark VI helmet over his head. He blinked a few times as he adjusted to the new HUD monitor. Aesthetically, the armor suit remained the same. Internally, it received several new upgrades. The first upgrade was the smaller fusion pack attached to his back. This fusion pack was able to provide more power to the energy shields, which were more stronger and able to recharge much faster. The second upgrade was better armor overall. The designers had also include less grapple points, making it near impossible for an enemy to grab him.

As usual, he went through a series of diagnostic tests. It wasn't until an hour later that Sargent Johnson came to pick him up. Dressed in his formal uniform, he greeted the armored supersoldier with a wide grin. As he closed the elevator doors, the Master Chief stood silently next to him.

"You're sure there won't be any cameras?" asked the Chief. The sargent nodded and patted his shoulders. As soon as the elevator doors opened. He was assaulted by the sound of officers clapping their hands and by the harsh white light of the cam-drones.

"You said there wouldn't be any cameras." he said in a deadpanned voice. The sargent laughed heartily as he fixed his hair.

"Relax, chief. And besides, you said you were going to wear something nice!" Sargent Johnson spoke as he adjusted his cap.

Walking side by side, the duo entered the command deck. Stopping in front of the fleet admiral, they saluted him and stood at ease. Cortana watched them inside a holotank. Meanwhile, behind them in the balcony stood the Tenno. Roscoe noted that a young woman stood near Captain Keyes. They appeared to be whispering to each other.

An Asian officer whispered into the Lord Hood's ear and stood away from the fleet admiral. He turned toward the holotank, his face showing concern.

"Cortana, any updates?" he asked. On the main screen, it showed a picture of Io, one of Jupiter's numerous moons. Io appeared to be blinking in yellow.

"Another whisper, sir. Near Io. Probes are en route" said the smart AI. Lord Hood nodded and faced the duo once more.

"I'm afraid we will have this quick." An officer handed him a metal cross and he pinned it on Johnson's chest. He spoke as he pinned the award.

"The Colonial Cross is awarded to those who have shown bravery in the battlefield, Sergeant Major. As a soldier of the UNSC, you have displayed courage that all of us should show in the face of battle." A chorus of clapping echoed throughout the bridge.

He then turned to Captain Keyes, who stepped forward. "Your actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service. Your bravery in the face of impossible odds reflects your great credit, upon yourself, and the UNSC." Once again, there was a chorus of clapping.

Cortana blinked her eyes in rapid succession. She gasped in surprise as she detected something she never wanted to confirm. Unfortunately, the detection instruments didn't lie to her. She silently activated the alarms and spoke with alarm in her voice.

"Sir! Slipspace rupture directly off our battle cluster." she said. The main screen changed to show Covenant ships and their ship classification. It also displayed the UNSC's battle cluster formation.

"Fifteen Covenant capital ships holding position just outside the kill zone," she remarked. Another voice entered the bridge. "This is Fleet Admiral Harper. We are engaging the enemy."

Almost immediately, Lord Hood told Harper to belay his order. "Negative, Admiral. Form a defensive perimeter around the cluster." The Tenno looked around, surprised to see that the bridge was nearly empty. Officers had rushed out of the bridge to assume their battle stations.

"Captain, Commander, get to your ship and link up with the fleet" The two officers nodded and ran toward the doors.

Roscoe watched a pair of Longsword fighters pass Cairo Station, with a Marathon-class heavy cruiser following the small aircraft. His crew hadOver the intercom, officers issued general orders throughout the space station.

"Pallax, what's your status? We have incoming enemies." he said as he strolled passed a pair of Marines.

"Seriously? Well, I just finished repairing the scratches and I was about to put some new paint on the Liset." Roscoe could hear him land on the metal floor. "Where do you want to meet up?" said Pallax as he looked around.

"We will meet up at the commons area and head back together to the hangar bays," said Roscoe. "Roger that" said Pallax and the line went dead. Roscoe and his crew turned a corner when they heard Johnson's voice.

Jogging over to the commotion, they found the sergeant major standing behind a mounted turret, the Master Chief standing next to him. A line of Marines crouched behind makeshift defenses and some Jersey sound of laser drills reverberated through the corridor. The Tenno drew their weapons and pointed at the corridor.

"Johnson, what's the enemy formation?" asked Rylan as he pulled his Attica crossbow from his back. The sounds of metal being ripped open grew louder.

"The little ones in front and the big guys in the back" grunted Johnson.

An explosion rocked the corridor and black smoke could be seen at the end of the corridor. Sure enough, a squad of Unggoy grunts rushed toward the wall of Marines, oblivious about the manned MG turret. A hail of bullets, shotgun pellets and arrows was met by green plasma bolts and sharp Needler shots. In ten minutes, the corridor was littered with the growing bodies of Covenant soldiers. However, there were more soldiers on the way.

Jogging toward the soldiers, Rylan blocked the plasma shots with his shield and stabbed an Elite's hand. As the Elite cried in pain, the Revenant slammed his shield into the exposed neck, slamming the Elite to the ground. He backed away as Carson beheaded the Elite with his Gram claymore.

Meanwhile, the Elites rushed toward Roscoe, brandishing their plasma swords. The Rhino gracefully dodged their attacks and rolled past them. They turned around, only to find their foe covered in a metallic skin. Roaring at the Elites, he drew his nikana out of its sheath and charged toward them. He slashed an Elite's arm and pushed him out of the way. He blocked the second Elite's overhead swing, pushed it to the side and headbutted the Elite's head. Clutching his head, the Elite was unprepared for the Rhino Charge that embedded him the wall. Only his limp hands could be seen.

Swinging the claymore like a madman, Carson swung the Gram vertically, carving a giant gash an Elite's armor. He flipped the giant blade sideways, blocking the plasma and Needler shots. He slowly walked toward a red Elite that was dual wielding plasma pistols. The Elite yelled at him, trying to scare him away. His yells become grew louder and higher in pitch. With a mighty overhead swing, the Chroma split the red Elite in half, from head to toe.

A wall of electric fire separated the Elites from the Marines. With no cover to protect them, they withdrew and ran down the corridor. Over the intercom, a lieutenant was issuing orders and reporting that other areas in the Cairo space station were under attack.

"Looks like we drove them away from this sector." said Johnson. With a quick vertical slash, the purple blood splattered against the white metal walls. Placing his blade back into the sheath, the Rhino motioned his comrades to follow him. "We will be heading to the hangar bay" said Roscoe. The sargent nodded and rallied his men forward. With a flurry of jumps and twists, the Tenno bullet-jumped toward the hangar bay with haste.

Elsewhere, near the hangar bays, a large gunfight was occurring between the UNSC officers and a Covenant strike team. Crouching behind sheet metal Jersey barriers were a marine fireteam and two officers. An Elite, garbed in bright red armor, charged across the metal gangway.

Just as he was about to reach the barrier, he crumpled to his knees as something hit. He looked down, surprised to see a female human pointing a sniper rifle at him. His head blew apart as the 14.5 X 114mm armor piercing round shot through his skull.

Lowering her sniper rifle down, she climbed a short gangway staircase to meet the troops. She crouched next to an older officer, who smiled at her. "Not a bad shot" he chuckled. The younger woman shrugged and looked over the barrier, grimacing at the increasing number of Covenant soldiers.

"I thought we called for reinforcements, sir," she asked. The older man rubbed his chin and said, "They will be here soon, Miranda. No need to fidget. Right now, we got to stay alive." Commander Miranda Keyes nodded, knowing her father's intuition was right. A Marine surveying the hanger bay entrance scurried over to the two officers. "They are here, sir," said the marine. Jacob Keyes grinned, his white teeth shining under the dull white fluorescent lights.

Landing gracefully, Jack crouched behind a railing, silently counting the number of enemies. Five Kig-Yar shieldbearers, ten Elites and a dozen or so Grunts stood in front of them, oblivious to the threat behind them. He held up his hands, flashing the number "two" and "seven" and making a T sign with his hands. The others crouched-walked over to the Frost Prime and waited for five seconds.

Jumping over the railing, Roscoe unleashed a mighty roar to attract the enemies' attention. Nearly everyone jumped in fright and turned around, seeing their lone adversary in front of them. A hail of plasma shots and Needler shards were launched toward the hulking humanoid figure. To their surprise, the Needler shots didn't penetrate his metallic skin. Instead, they shattered on impact, as if it were glass. Punching an Elite's jaw to stun him, the Rhino grabbed his arm and started to spin the reptilian alien. Once he gained enough momentum, he flung the alien to the far left wall. The sound of several ribs cracking from the impact sent a shudder down Miranda's spine.

Meanwhile, a pair of Kig-Yar shieldbearers found themselves frozen. They tried to bash the ice that froze their feet. The air became chilly as they watched a man wearing a crown walk toward them, his palms outward. Pushing both hands, he blasted stream of ice that encapsulated their heads in a block of semi-transparent ice. Slowly but surely, the ice's weight caused the Kig-Yars to fall backward, shattered the head into a giant shards of frozen flesh and blood.

The grunts were now firing at each other, as half of them were brainwashed from Rylan's Enthrall ability. One by, the grunts gave a shrill cry as they were shot by their former comrades. Once the last one was killed, the brainwashed grunts turned around and faced Rylan, who was on top of an overturned ammo crate. With a slash across his throat, the last six grunts placed their plasma pistol or needler under their chin and pulled the trigger. Rylan twitched as the sound of heads echoed through his head. Thankfully, he had closed his eyes to spare himself from the ensuing gore.

The last few Covenant combatants found themselves facing a monster that felt nothing. Carson's mouth spewed torrents of electrical fire, simultaneously burning and electrifying his victims. The last fighter gasped when he realized he had backed into a corner. The Elite hissed at them menacingly, trying to scare them off. The dragon-like creature was joined by its companions, each one staring at him with no facial expression.

With a one mighty roar, the Elite ignited his energy blade and hurled himself at the enemies. In unison, the four Warframes pulled their primary weapons out and aimed at the hopeless Elite. His arms and legs were first pinned to the metal wall from the Attica crossbow. Then, the rest of the weapons were unleashed, filling the alien warrior with hundreds of rubido-tipped bullet rounds.

Two short whistles, followed by a long high pitched whistle alerted the older Keyes that the carnage was over. Both the Marines and the younger Keyes surveyed the area, stunned by the sight of the mangled alien bodies. Miranda tentatively stepped over one of the brainwashed Grunts who had commited suicide. Near a large cylindrical metal crate, Carson passed a metal rectangular box to Jack, who started throwing Covenant weaponry inside. Once the box was full, Carson grabbed the cover and gently placed it on top. He then used his index finger to summon a small flame and increased its temperature. The orange flame became blue-whitish in a few seconds. Carson turned his body around and hunched over the box. Thousands of small sparks glittered to the floor as he welded the box shut.

"I thought you were at your ship, waiting for orders" asked Jacob Keyes, as he reholstered his M6D pistol.

"As much as I want to, waiting around for orders is a bad idea, especially in this kind of a situation" countered the Rhino. Jacob nodded and sighed heavily. He was exhausted from the fighting and needed a little bit of rest. The female officer walked toward the Rhino and halted in front of him. "Commander Miranda Keyes, sir" she spoke as she saluted him. Roscoe nodded and motioned her to ease down.

"From here on out, you shouldn't encounter any enemies prowling this sector, sir." said Roscoe. Pulling out a small circular holoprojector from his hip, he activated it and a map of the space station appeared. The older Keyes examined and nodded.

"In that case, we shouldn't wait any longer. Our crews must be very anxious about us." Jacob chuckled as he got up. Picking up a spare MA5B assault rifle and a magazine bandolier, he disengaged the safety and slung the bandolier over his shoulders.

"Commander Keyes, let's go!" shouted the older officer. Miranda gave a quick nod to the Tenno and ran after her father. The Marines and the Tenno followed her. A brief chirp on the encrypted comm channel notified Roscoe that Ordis was on the line.

"What's wrong, Ordis?" he asked.

"Operator, the Covenant soldiers - REPTILE BASTARDS - are planting a bomb in one of the cargo bays. The Master Chief - SUPERFREAK - is attempting to defuse the bomb. He is on the way right now. ETA two minutes." said Ordis.

"Plot a route to the cargo bay now, Ordis" commanded Roscoe. "Impossible, sir. You are too far away from the cargo bay." The Rhino gave a low frustrated growl and cursed under his breath.

"Update, sir. The Master Chief has defused the bomb. He is now moving the bomb to the lower hangar bays. It appears he will try to detonate the bomb midair in space." chirped Ordis.

"Is that even possible, Ordis?" Roscoe asked. There was silence as the AI calculated the possibilities and scenarios. "Yes, it is highly possible he can accomplish this feat."

"Okay, send the predicted landing trajectory to Commander Miranda Keyes." said Roscoe.

"Already done, Operator. I will see you at the Railjack." The line went dead as the AI disconnected.

Twenty minutes later, four ships were weaving through the debris. The Stalwart-class light frigate, In Amber Clad, led the convoy as it approached the landing zone. Stopping under a CAS-class assault carrier, the convoy slowed to a stop and waited. Magnifying the view, Jack spotted a cargo bay's doors opening. He could see the purple lozenge-shaped bomb. AS the bomb floated toward the assault carrier, he saw the Chief leap out behind a wall and grab one of the anchoring spikes.

Everyone held their breath as the Chief guided the bomb toward the carrier. Midway in his descent, he paused momentarily to reactivate the bomb and kicked it toward its exposed pinch fusion reactor. A large explosion enveloped the carrier in white light as the bomb detonated. Secondary explosions followed as the assault carrier collapsed into debris. As predicted, he smacked into the titanium hull like a meteorite. A resounding cheer echoed through the ships as he slowly got up.

"Get inside and gear up, Chief. We're bringing the fight to the surface" said Miranda. Banking hard to the left, the four ships prepared to descend as a massive gray city on the Eastern African coastline loomed into view.


	31. Loss of Control

Ch. 27: Loss of Control

* * *

Sol System, Earth  
October 2, 2552 / 1226 pm  
New Mombasa City, Kenya

* * *

Stacks of black smoke rising from destroyed buildings filled the orange sky illuminated by the Sun. The sounds of gunfire and shouts echoed in every alleyway and street as the two sides fought each other. Snipers perched on top of rooftops took down infantry soldiers, while the artillery pounded away with their precision strikes.

Overhead, four medium sized aircrafts flew in a loose diamond formation. The Railjack, followed by three Pelicans flew toward the gigantic CAS-class assault carrier at their maximum speed. There was no doubt that the UNSC's high value target was inside that ship.

"Mobile armor ahead of us, Captain. 200 feet and closing in. Classified as a Type 47A Scrab." replied Cy. The AI uploaded the image of the mobile armor onto the main screen. Sure enough, it lumbered into view. One of its legs speared through a truck, destroying it immediately.

Roscoe stood in front, his arms crossed. "Hit it, Rylan," he said. His question was answered as the Tungchanka Cannon roared. A beam of white light pierced the Scrab's main cannon, destroying it. A hail of Helix Missiles struck its joints, crippling its mobility.

"Cortana, could you check if its energy shields are up?" asked Roscoe.

"Negative, the energy shields are currently down. It looks like he's trying to recall his forces." replied Cortana. The word 'recall' caused the Rhino to sweat. "He's retreating from Earth," he thought.

"Jack, find us a hangar bay immediately. We're running out of time!" Roscoe yelled as he assembled the ODST and Tenno team near one of the doors. Jack guided the Railjack, trying to find a suitable landing zone. Noticing a small group of Phantoms entering from below the ship's aft, he steered the Railjack toward to the spot. Once he reached it, he realized it was too small for the Railjack to fit in.

"Okay, so I found a possible landing zone. Bad news is it won't fit the Plantagenet. I can get you guys in as close as I can." yelled Jack's voice over the intercom. Meanwhile, both fireteams were geared up and ready to go.

With a hiss, the doors opened and green plasma shots caused their energy shields to flare up in response. Overhead, one of the crew members was manning the turret, raining down suppressive fire. Both fireteams jumped down, landing on the metal purple floor. Eventually, the Railjack backed away from the hangar bay entrance.

"Rylan, hack the terminal and find the Prophet's location." The Revenant nodded and bullet-jumped toward a nearby console. Rapidly tapping the holographic symbols, he bypassed its security system and sifted through the network.

"I found him. He is on the bridge." Transmitting the coordinates to their respective communication systems, both the Tenno and UNSC HUDs were updated. The Rhino nodded and walked over to a nearby door. Finding it shut, he sighed and backed away from the door.

A second later, the door was blown apart by a Rhino Charge. Roscoe blinked a few times and opened his inventory. Tossing a few Specter orbs to the ground, he watched as the pale globs morphed into humanoid forms.

"We will be going ahead, Gold Team. The Specters will cover you."

"Wait - " With a burst of speed, the Tenno left Sargent West behind. The veteran shrugged his shoulders and followed them.

Shoot, slash, repeat. The mantra was drilled into every Tenno's mind from day one. Emptying his clip into a red Elite, Roscoe switched to his nikana and unsheathed the katana. So far, it was going well. The Covenant soldiers were surprisingly weak and unable to fend off the Tenno onslaught of spamming their various abilities.

The sizzling heat and smell of molten metal announced the intruders' presence to the Prophet. He turned around to face them, his hands steepled together. He watched carefully as they entered the room, raising their primitive rifles at him. Surrounding him in half-circle formation, he chuckled at them. He took a peek at the digital countdown near his right hand. He had already programmed the coordinates into the navigation system. Once it reached zero, the ship would automatically enter slipspace and head for the destination.

"What a surprise. And I thought my forces would - ." said the Prophet. He was interrupted by pelting bullets that harmlessly bounced off his energy shield. He shook his head, disappointed at their actions.

He tapped his the holographic control panel under his armrest, commanding the gravity throne to enter combat mode. With a loud hum, the dual plasma cannons powered up and started firing at the Tenno. The Warframes rolled out of the way and ran around him, taking pot shots at him as they ran. Rylan stopped in front of the throne and unleashed his Dense Macabre beam at it. The green-whitish stream of Sentient energy splashed against the energy shield, which crackled and hissed from the impact. The crackling slowly died down as the Prophet concentrated the majority of his energy shield against the laser beam.

An explosion underneath him caused the gravity throne to wobble. From the corner of his eye, the Prophet scowled at the Chroma who had disabled the throne's anti-gravity engines. Turning toward the dragon-like humanoid, he fired a large plasma shot at it. The blast flung the Tenno against the purple walls, knocking him unconscious.

A loud roar distracted the Prophet for a second. He turned to his left and the throne lurched forward. With a crash, the gravity throne was embedded into a wall. Electricity arced around the damaged throne. The Prophet gasped, blinking rapidly. His vision was hazy and he could see a blurry black figure approach him. He felt a hand grab his throat, slowly clenching his throat with increasing pressure. A vibration on his wrist alerted him the slipspace drive had activated. He grinned as darkness took him.

Roscoe slowly choked the Prophet. He watched the alien gasp for breath, raking his feeble hands against his wrist. The Prophet's hands fell limp and Roscoe released his iron grip. He stepped ways from the unconscious alien leader. He lifted the alien leader from his throne and handcuffed him to a nearby pole.

"Guys, we got a problem!" exclaimed the Excalibur. A massive slipspace portal erupted in front of the ship. The pitch-black darkness of the portal filled the main screen. Carson feverishly tapped the holographic controls, trying to gain control of the ship. Frustrated, he grabbed various knobs and levers, hoping one of them would turn the ship away.

"I can't do anything! The entire ship is on automatic" the Chroma cried out in desperation.

"Then, we will just have to ride it out," said Roscoe, who sat down on a nearby anti-gravity seat. Typing a brief message, he sent it through the encrypted channel.

* * *

"Follow ship ASAP. Unable to stop nav system. Everything is on auto." Lieutenant Lambert read the message aloud on the bridge. It had been ten minutes since the two fireteams boarded the Covenant assault carrier. She looked up to see the vessel entering the portal. Half of its body was already in the slipspace portal.

"Well, we don't have a choice anyway," said the Frost Warframe. "If we stay here, we will be left behind." Steering the Railjack toward the Covenant's rear, he kept pace with the massive vessel.

Checking the stern camera, the ONI officer noticed the In Amber Clad trailing behind them. She gripped the sides of the control panel, bracing her for the aftershock that would follow at the end of their journey.

The portal shrank until it disappeared. However, since it was used on the surface, it was essentially a giant vacuum. With a blinding light, it released its destructive energy across the Kenyan city. In the aftermath, the majority of the administrative and business district was vaporized by the blast, leaving behind a giant crater. The death toll was estimated to be in the millions, many of the deceased unaccounted for in the official report.


	32. Audience with the Devil

Chapter 28: Audience with the Devil

* * *

Coelest System, Substance  
October 22, 2552 / 1540 pm

* * *

A slipspace rupture opened and the Covenant assault carrier exited the rupture. As the ship drifted toward its destination, the Excalibur Warframe grunted as he lurched forward. He stared at the distant object in disbelief.

Of all the places the ship chose to go, it was another Halo installation. A notification on the battlenet caught his attention. He accessed the battlenet and read the message. He looked back at the main screen, increasing the magnification. At the bottom right hand corner, he could see a fleet of Covenant ships hovering above to the Halo. In the very center of the fleet was a gigantic purple mushroom-shaped ship.

"Please tell me that's not what I think that is," said Jack. Like the others, he saw the Covenant fleet arrive at the Halo ring.

A rasping laugh caught his attention. The Prophet was laughing, realizing he was right all along. There was a soft click and he felt a gun pressed gently against the back of his head.

"How did you know about this place?" demanded the Rhino. He pushed the Sybaris against his fragile skull harder.

"Foolish vermin… this sanctuary is not meant for the likes of you. You will never understand the Great Journey's purpose." the Prophet croaked.

He continued to laugh until Carson stuffed a dirty rag into his mouth to muffle him. Roscoe activated the comm channel. The buzz and static of white noise permeated the room and was replaced with the surprised voice of a communication officer.

"Ma'am, I got them on the line."

"What's your status?" inquired Miranda.

"So far, the assault carrier is under our control. The Prophet is under arrest in the bridge room." said Roscoe.

"Any word on the battlenet?" Miranda asked.

"Aside from the message we received from High Charity a second ago, no new messages." said Roscoe

"What does the message say?" she asked.

"We await your arrival on Halo, my dear brother. Brother Mercy has secured the Halo with Tartarus's aid and the Arbiter is searching for the Key to activate the divine wind. Yours, Brother Truth"

Miranda leaned back on the black command chair, rubbing the bridge of her nose. It was hard to believe that the entire Covenant fleet had assembled on their position. To make matters worse, they had already sent a scout team down to the Halo's surface.

"What do you suggest, Roscoe?" she asked after composing herself.

"We play along for now. We are outside their range of sensors and you haven't been detected yet. The cruiser will move at a snail's pace while claiming to inspect the fusion reactor for anomalies. Just stay behind the cruiser for now"

"Understood, In Amber Clad out"

"Gold Leader to Silver Team, do you copy?" Sargent West's voice crackled on the comms channel.

"Silver One here. What's the situation?" said Roscoe

"Sir, everything is under control. But we are having difficulties with a few occupants." West replied back.

"I thought we already eliminated the entirety of the Covenant forces on board." replied the Rhino.

West sighed and Roscoe could hear him scratch his head. "It's… well, it's best if you just come down here."

Minutes later, the four Tenno stood on the engineering deck. Sargent West stood by the side, watching a private scan the 'occupants'. Its main body was a floating dark blue blob and several thin tentacles. The occupant's head was small and had six eyes. It blinked a few times at the private. Meanwhile, Lance Corporal Smith was trying to get one of them to follow him out of the door.

"Explain to me what happened" the Rhino asked.

"After we secured the engineering deck, one of my men spotted these creatures doing some sort of maintenance work. It got spooked and ran away, but we tracked it down. We managed to coax one of them and the others followed him."

"But they aren't leaving the engineering deck, right?" said Rylan. The ODST sergeant nodded.

"They need something that will interest them or they won't listen to you." West pointed to the trooper who was coaxing the leader to follow him. The leader shook his head, not interested in the trooper.

Pallax rubbed his chin before he snapped his fingers. He pulled out a silver Void Key from his inventory and inspected it before he pulled the Rhino into a corner.

The Excalibur held the key before the Rhino's eyes and pointed at the occupant. "This should keep them occupied for a while" he murmured to the Roscoe. The Tenno leader stared at the occupant, unsure if it would take the bait.

The Rhino knelt down in front of the alien, its small beady eyes widening at him. Roscoe dangled the key in front of the alien, swinging it back and forth like a pendulum. Hypnotized by the strange key, it tried to grab the key with its thin tentacles. It emitted a low trumpet-like sound everytime Roscoe lifted the key out of their grasp. Roscoe repeated the gesture and took a few steps backward toward the door. The four aliens surged around the Rhino, trying to get the key out of his hands.

Like moths to a flame, the aliens followed Roscoe as he led them to the hangar bay. Inside were three Pelicans, their pilots on stand-by. He lured them to the first Pelican, whose engines were warming up. He raised the key above their small heads. Just as their tentacles reached his hands, he tossed the small key into the Pelican's cargo bay. The aliens squealed, charging into the cargo bay. As the last one entered the bay. The Pelican's cargo bay door began to close. However, the aliens were oblivious to the door as it was sealed shut by magnetic locks. The Pelican's two main engines roared to life and took off.

"All personnel are to evacuate the cruiser. We are scuttling the ship. I repeat, we are scuttling the ship." Rylan's voice spoke through the crusier's intercom system. Marines and ODSTs ran to the remaining Pelicans as it prepared to take off.

Roscoe entered the cargo bay of the last Pelican aboard the Covenant cruiser. Rylan and Carson were standing near the cargo bay's entrance, ready to close the door. The Master Chief was sitting down on a nearby jumpseat. Pallax sat on the opposite side. The Excalibur nodded at the Rhino, who entered the cockpit.

"We're ready, sir. Where to?" the pilot inquired.

The Pelican flew toward the silver ring. Behind the lead Pelican was another one from the _In Amber Clad_. Pelican Alpha One carried the Tenno and the Master Chief, while Pelican Alpha Two carried a squad of Marines led by Sgt Johnson and Capt. Miranda. In Alpha One's cockpit, Roscoe watched the first drop-off destination come into view. In the distance, the dome-like Library was surrounded by a ring of snowy mountains.

The plan was simple: retrieve the Index and eliminate the Prophet of Mercy. Rylan and Carson would distract the Covenant infantry while the Master Chief and Pallax would assassinate the Prophet of Mercy. Meanwhile, Roscoe, Miranda and the Marines would secure the Index Key.

The dropship circled around an open field surrounded by coniferous trees. The Pelican hovered above the platform and both the Chroma and Revenant disembarked. The dropship closed its cargo bay door and flew away to drop off the .

They left a trail of snowy footprints as their feet crunched into the soft snow. The Tenno moved their rifles around their surroundings. The sounds of Banshees and Phantoms alerted them. Peering over a ridge, at the bottom of a valley was a large battalion of Covenant infantry and ground vehicles. Rylan nudged Carson and pointed at the largest ground vehicle, a Protos Scarab.

They slid down the mountainside, stopping to listen to the enemy chatter. Once they reached the bottom of the valley, they crouch-walked toward the quadruple mining platform. Only two Unggoys guarded the Scarab. Carson picked up a stone, tossed it a few times to test its weight and threw it into the bushes behind the Unggoys. As expected, the Unggoys yelped in surprise and moved toward the bushes. The Tenno bullet-jumped toward the Scarab's rear and entered the command center.

The center was empty except for its two new occupants. Purple lighting illuminated the center. Carson examined the holographic driving mechanisms while Rylan fiddled with the turret controls.

"Are you ready, Rylan?" Carson asked. Rylan flashed his thumbs up, signaling he was ready. The Chroma cracked his knuckles and began to power up the mining platform. Outside, the various Covenant infantry were startled by the sound of the Scarab's pinch fusion reactor starting up.

The turret hatch popped open and Rylan came out, his hands gripping the turret's firing mechanism tightly. He aimed the targeting reticle at a Jiralhanae warrior guarding canisters of plasma fuel.

"Hasta la vista, baby!" Rylan shouted as he obliterated the Jiralhanae warrior. And with that, pandemonium ensued in the Covenant camp.

The explosion could be heard from the Master Chief and Pallax were. The Excalibur turned to listen to the explosions and gunfire. There was a loud humming noise as the Scarab unleashed its laser at the infantry forces. The Master Chief ignored the explosions and through the jungle foliage.

When he exited the foliage, he noticed a hologram of the Prophet of Mercy. He appeared to be preaching a sermon. He placed his right hand over the console and allowed Cortana to analyze the sermon.

"Hmm… just as I thought." she said. She snapped her fingers and the hologram spoke in clear English sentences.

"Halo's divine wind will propel all who believe in the faith and begin the Great Journey!" declared the hologram. Cortana snapped her fingers again and it reverted to the original language.

"He's going to activate the ring" the Chief said. Cortana nodded somberly as she returned to the Master Chief.

"So, where is he?" asked Pallax. Cortana replied by highlighting their HUDs. Sitting in the middle of a lake was a gunmetal-grey temple.

Pallax pointed down at a small boat at the bottom of the hill. The two soldiers ran down the small hill and boarded the boat. It hummed for a few seconds and floated across the lake. The Chief magnified his vision and spotted Covenant infantry guarding the temple's sole entrance.

"Three Kig-Yar snipers and a squad of Unggoys." the Chief said. The Excalibur nodded and placed his hands in front of him. Blue energy gathered around his hands and he pulled them apart. A Blue-whitish sword made out of his own Void energy stretched from his hands solidified into the shape of a Skana blade. He twirled it a few times and chuckled.

The boat docked next to a staircase leading to the temple's entrance. Pallax leaped toward the sky and landed a few meters away from the startled guards. He swung his Exalted Blade several times and the blade emitted ethereal energy slashs from his movements. The Chief stood behind the Tenno and watched the enemies fall down, as if struck by an invisible plague.

Curious, he examined a fallen Unggoy and found no external wounds. He removed its methane breather mask and opened its mouth. Again, there was no sign of blood foaming at the mouth, which would have signalled internal bleeding.

The temple's interior was illuminated by the artificial sunlight. Like all the buildings on the Halo installation, it was grey. Floating in the center was the Prophet of Mercy. He was flanked by a pair of Elite Honor Guards, who were garbed in the red and yellow ceremonial armor. He scowled at the two intruders. The Demon took aim at the guards and fired his assault rifle. The Honor Guards roared and charged toward the Spartan, plasma swords ignited.

The Chief emptied the magazine into the first Honor Guard and bash the guard's head with the butt of his rifle. He ducked, avoiding a horizontal slash from the second guard. He swapped the assault rifle for a combat shotgun. He chambered the buckshot rounds and squeezed the trigger.

Pellets showered over the second guard's energy shield. The Sangheili turned around, swinging its plasma sword in a wide arc. The Spartan jumped away, shooting at the guard. He grabbed a grenade from his waist and tossed it toward the guards. Although the sharpnel didn't wound the Sangheili guards, their energy shields dissipated from the grenade's shockwave.

The Chief rushed toward a Sangheili guard and kicked him in the chest. The Sangheili struggles to get up, but its head was blown apart by the Chief's shotgun. The second Sangheili leaped toward the Chief, roaring with rage. However, the Spartan simply side-stepped and punched the guard's exposed mandible-like jaw. The guard was stunned for a second. But that second cost him his life. Like his companion, he too had his brains blown apart by the shotgun.

The Prophet shook his head, disappointed by the guards' failures. He tapped the side of his armrest and the dual gravity cannons under his throne hummed to life. Two balls of energy erupted from the mouth of the cannons. One of them hit the Master Chief's energy shield, causing it to flicker and ripple across his armor. The Chief strafed around the Prophet, dodging the energy projectiles as much as possible. He fired his shotgun at the Prophet and the throne's energy shield collapsed. The Spartan jumped on to the throne, using one hand to keep himself steady and the other to punch the Prophet's head repeatedly. The throne spun around as the Prophet tried to get the Spartan off him.

Seeing as his punches weren't working, the Chief took his last grenade from his waist and flicked the pin off. He tossed the grenade into the Prophet's lap and leaped off the throne.

Mercy wheezed as he straightened himself. He looked down to see the frag grenade in the lap and widened his eyes. The grenade exploded killing the Prophet and heavily damaging the throne. The throne supn out of control and toppled off a cliff and into the lake. The Chief peered over and watched the golden throne sink to the bottom of the lake.

Meanwhile, the Excalibur had finished slicing the last of Mercy's Covenant troops into small pieces. The ground shook under his feet before it subsided. He ran outside and stared at the white pillar of plasma emanating from a Covenant cruiser. Wisps of plasma corroded the gray metal into rust.

"Jack, we need an extraction ASAP. We're getting glassed over here." the Excalibur shouted into the comm line as he ran past the Chief.

"I can see that. Hold on." Above them, the Railjack flew over them and waited for them, its portside doors opened. Private Jenkins stood outside of them stretching his hand out. Behind him, Sargent West was motioning them to run faster. The Excalibur bullet-jumped at the last second, propelling himself into the starship. He crashed into a wall and turned around, watching the Chief leap toward Private Jenkins.

Everything slowed down for Chief as he tried to grab the private's hand. For a second, he felt his fingers scrape the private's hand. However, he grabbed nothing but air. The ODST private's hazel eyes widened in shock as he watched the Spartan fall down into the lake.

With a splash, the Spartan sank down in the lake, the titanium battle suit weighing him down. He ebbed in and out of consciousness, unable to keep himself awake. Before he blacked out, he felt something wrap around his waist and pulled him deeper into the lake. A gravelly voice echoed in his head.

"This is not your grave, but you are welcome in it."

Meanwhile, the two Pelicans landed near one of the Library's access points. A four-man team of Marines scouted the perimeter before they signalled the all-clear.

Sargent Johnson took point as he surveyed their surroundings with his battle rifle. Roscoe was in the back of the group, checking their rear every once in a while. Their footfalls echoed through the corridor as they shined their flashlights over the walls.

The sound of laser fire and howls caused the group to stop in their tracks. Johnson looked at the four Marines behind and did a thumbs-down to them. The Marines sighed heavily, reluctant to leave behind their captain and their beloved sergeant.

"I'm sorry, sir. But we can't -" a Marine private started.

He felt a meaty hand on his shoulders. He looked behind him to see the Rhino's left hand on his shoulders. He nodded to the Marine to reassure him.

Roscoe watched silently as the Marines turned back and returned to the Pelicans. It had been agreed that if there were signs of the Flood, the Marines would return to In Amber Clad and await orders.

The three-man team continued their journey in silence. As they weaved through the winding paths, they never encountered a single drone aside from their counter at the containment shield. It was weird and slightly nerve wracking for the Tenno, who had expected heavy resistance from the monitor.

A cacophony of shrieks, howls and every animalistic noise reverberated through the corridor. The containment barrier had fallen. From behind, they could see the shadows of the Flood growing and becoming larger.

They ran, hoping to outrun the Flood. Ahead of them, a swarm of Sentinels flew toward them and fired at the team. Behind the swarm, a white gate started to close. A glimmer of gold spurred the team to run faster. The door sealed shut as it hummed with electricity.

The underground chamber had seen better days. The walls were cracking from old age and fallen debris littered the ground. The chamber was illuminated by dull green lamps that surrounded the chamber.

Floating in the center of the chamber was a rectangular golden key with several notches on top. Noticing a long dangling wire overhead, Rylan grabbed the wire and tugged at it. After he was sure the rope was secure, he reached out toward the golden key. The first two attempts failed, but on the third try he snatched the Index Key from its floating pedestal. The wire snapped and the Rhino felt gravity pull him. Sergeant Johnson leaped forward and grabbed his other arm. He pulled him up with a grunt.

Roscoe tossed the Index Key to Miranda, who deftly caught it.

Far away from the Tenno, a different kind of encounter with the Flood was occuring. A Flood combat form fell to the ground, black smoke drifted from its mutated and twisted body. Plasma swords carved through the putrid bodies. Thel Vadamee sliced through a Flood with ease, avoiding the body as it fell to the snow-covered ground.

The disgraced Sangheili grumbled, wondering how to stop the onslaught. It was only days ago that he was stripped of his title and branded a failure in front of the entire Covenant. Now, he was working directly under the Prophets.

A lot of strange events had occurred for the newly-minted Arbiter. First, there was the cryptic warning from the Heretic Sangheili Leader. He didn't know his name, but he did confirm his warning by asking the Oracle: that the Sacred Ring is a weapon of mass destruction.

He growled at the ensuing chaos in front of him. Only a dozen Sangheili against an onslaught of ungodly creatures. Seeing a gap, he ran past the mutated monsters and toward a step of stairs. Once he reached the top, he looked around, hoping to see some kind of transport. In the distance, he saw some sort of tram. He rapidly pressed a console's holographic buttons, bringing the tram to him.

He boarded the tram and waited as the tram took him across the gap. The tram came to a stop and quickly ran toward the nearest entrance. Through winding passages and countless corridors, he paused outside an open doorway. He silently activated his active camouflage and watched a black man garbed in a green military uniform pull up a giant humanoid from a well. There was a female garbed in a black uniform. The humanoid tossed the Sacred Icon to the female, who caught it and stowed it away. The soft patter of feets on his left alerted him that the Brute Chieftain and his guards had arrived.

The Arbiter whispered to Tartarus: "I will distract the humans and you will remove the monster." Tartarus nodded and gripped his personal gravity hammer. The Sangheili crouched and walked into the chamber. He walked atop a fallen debris and jumped toward the black man.

Sargent Johnson brought his battle rifle and emptied the rounds into the Sangheili. The reptile-like alien slapped the battle rifle out of Johnson's hands and seized him by the collar. Johnson simply grinned at the Arbiter.

"How ya doin?" Johnson said. Unamused, the Arbiter bashed his metal helmet against Johnson, knocking out the Marine. The Brute Guards brandished their plasma rifles, firing at Miranda. She rolled to safety, a large marble-like debris protected her from the plasma shots. Roscoe cracked his knuckles and activated Iron Skin, covering him in the metallic skin. In a blur, he smashed into the first guard, which embedded the Brute into the wall. A shock blast from Tartarus's gravity hammer sent the Rhino backwards. Behind Tartarus, two Brutes wielding fuel rod cannons crouched down behind their chieftain. The Brute Chieftain pointed the hammer at the Tenno, electricity arcing around the head.

Roscoe growled at the Brute and crouched down, preparing another Rhino Charge. The Brute grinned and sidestepped to the left. The fuel rod cannons glowed bright green, its incendiary gel charged. The Brutes fired at the Rhino, who was unprepared for the explosive gel. The gel stuck to his skin, the green goo transforming into a bright white glow. The resulting explosion propelled the Rhino backwards and into the well.

The Tenno leader began to sink in the murky green waters. Underneath him, a large tentacle wrapped around his waist and pulled him deeper into the abyss.

Miranda Keyes raised the submachine gun and fired at the Brute. The Brute flinched from the bullets and shot a wave of electricity at her. Tartarus picked her up and slung her on his shoulder. He pulled the Index Key from her pocket, grinning at his victory.

"That… is.. my responsibility" said the Arbiter between wheezes. He glared at the Brute Chieftain as he spoke. Tartarus chuckled at the disgraced Sangheili.

"I know it is your responsibility, but you no longer need to worry about it." Tartarus said. The Arbiter furrowed his brows, confused by his statement.

"What do you mean? I was charged by the Prophets to retrieve it for them." Arbiter countered.

The remaining Brute Guards raise their crude rifles at the Sangheili. He hissed at them, angered by their betrayal.

"When the Prophets learn of this, they will take your head and commit your entire race to treason." the Arbiter said. He was shaking from anger, unable to keep his rage in check.

The Chieftain laughed, his booming voice echoed in the chambers. After the laughter subsided, he stared at the Arbiter before he spoke.

"Treason? I don't think so. In fact..", his beady black eyes shined for a second. "It's your people that will be condemned for treason."

Tartarus pointed his gravity hammer and sent the Arbiter down the well. He looked over the well and watched the silver-clad warrior sink into the water.

* * *

**Author's Note**

**It's been a while since I last updated this story. (For those that thought this story was dead, it isn't!) I have a busy schedule and will upload new chapters when it's finished. **

**On my profile page, there is a section for Stories In Progress. These are stories I may want write after Beyond the Void's sequel. If you have ideas or you just want to comment on the potential stories, PM me. **

**\- The Phantom Traveler**


	33. The Gravemind's Deal

Chapter 29: The Gravemind's Deal

Installation 04, Underground Cavern

* * *

"Where am I?" mumbled Roscoe. He opened his eyes and tried to move his arms. He looked at his waist, confused at why he was suspended in the air by a long and slimy tentacle. On his left, the Master Chief was struggling against the tentacles, turning every way to free himself. On his right, the Sangheili in silver armor was also struggling against the tentacle.

In front of him, a gigantic mass of decaying flesh rose from the bottomless pit and growled at them. It's mouth was filled with thousands of small yellow teeth.

"What is that?" asked Cortana. A gravelly voice answered her question

"I… I am a monument to all your sins" it said. It turned his head to the Spartan, breathing out Flood spores as it spoke.

"This one is machine and nerve, its mind concluded." It then turned to face the Arbiter.

"This one is but flesh and faith, and is the more deluded." Finally, it turned its head toward Roscoe. It paused for a moment, unsure of how to address him.

"This one is ravaged and eternal, adrift from both time and home." The Tenno was dumbstruck. Somehow, it had figured out his predicament. The monstrous creature grumbled as it held the Rhino away from him.

"I have seen and heard much from the surface." It spoke. "There is still time to prevent the key from turning."

"I will not allow you to destroy another ring, Demon!" The Sangheili snarled at the Spartan, who had stopped struggling against the tentacle.

"Your Prophets are making a big mistake. Halo is a weapon." countered the Chief.

Roscoe stares at the Sangheili warrior and snaps his fingers, "Aren't you the Supreme Commander?"

The Sangheili stops before and corrects the Tenno.

"I lost my title due to your rash actions," he hisses at Roscoe, "Now, I am the Prophet's chosen warrior, the Arbiter."

The Arbiter ponders over what the Chief said. He had heard the same things from both the heretic and the oracle themselves.

The creature sighed, annoyed at their bickering. ""Your Prophets have promised you freedom from a doomed existence, but you will find no salvation on this ring. Those who built this place knew what they wrought. Do not mistake their intent, or all will perish like they did before" it said.

"You shall search one place," said the creature to the Spartan, "and you another" it said to the Sangheili.

A golden halo appeared behind the two soldiers and engulfed them as they were teleported to their respective places.

There was a brief moment of silence before Roscoe spoke. "How did you know?" he asked.

A cloudy breath of Flood spores obscured his vision as the creature breathed. "First, your puppet body cried out to me, begging to join me and become part of the collective. Secondly, I have seen pictures of your kind" it said.

"That's impossible. We only arrived a few months ago and no one knew about us, except for the UNSC" said the Rhino. "If you claim to have seen us before, where is your proof?" Roscoe demanded.

"It is better if you see it for yourself". A loud humming came from behind and Roscoe was teleported to another underground chamber. A Flood combat form stood in front of him and beckoned him to follow it.

"For eons, I traversed the length and width of this ring, marking my territory. On my journey, I encountered an unknown relic in one of the chambers." it said. Roscoe could see a few metal pieces floating in the air at the end of the hall.

"When I examined it, I knew it was not their creation. It was too primitive and ornate to be their design. Yet, it piqued my interest and I kept it"

At the hall, the mysterious object was suspended in mid-air. It almost looked like the first Sputnik satellite at first glance. However, there were a few notable differences. First, the four radio antennas appeared to be much thicker and were covered in thin gold foil. Secondly, instead of a polished metal sphere, it was an alabaster pentagonal prism, covered in small solar panels. At one end, there was a domed heat shield, which protected the satellite during atmospheric entry.

"I was able to access its data and it revealed a series of videos to me. It seems it was intended for first contact." the Flood creature said. A hologram of the videos appears from a rising slim pedestal.

The video begins with the launching of the terraforming drones from the Terminus station. It shifts to the terraforming drones returning to the Orokin System. An Hunhow-type Sentient hovers above Jupiter's surface. From the floating settlement, a group of gas miners point at the Sentient, mystified by its arrival. There is a loud groan as the Sentient's eyes glow. A ball of white energy gathers at the tip before a lance of white energy vaporizes the floating settlement to obilbion. The scene transitions to show various battles from the Great War. Finally, it ends Hunhow being sealed in the underground tomb on Uranus.

The images of various Warframes casting their abilities triggers past memories to return the Rhino. Leading his fellow brothers and sisters onto the battlefield, the briefing and debriefings with their Dax mission handler.

"Now do you believe me?" the Flood creature asks. Roscoe nodded hesitantly, still in disbelief.

"Where was it found? Were there any records?" the Rhino asks.

"It crash-landed on this Installation many years ago. The Monitor took it to a chamber and disassembled it, hoping to uncover its data. It succeeded and stored the data into this data pad."

A rectangular data pad appears over the pedestal. Roscoe picks it up and pores over the data file.

"Version 1.75.00…. UAE Extraterrestrial Contact Team…. 110 OE" Roscoe half-mumbles as he pores through the data. He notices several phrases being repeated, particularly "multiverse" and "Specium Energy".

"What the hell were the UAE doing?" Roscoe thinks to himself. He turns to the Flood combat form and asks, "Can you open it up?"

The Flood combat form waves his hand, and the satellite is disassembled mid-air. In the satellite's center was a translucent sphere covered in semi-transparent metallic foil. The multi-colored storm of energy inside the sphere glowed. The Flood creature recoiled from the light violently. It stepped backwards and covered itself as much as possible. It howled as it was scorched by the light, turning its rotten skin into charred black flesh.

Roscoe raised his arms to shield himself from the harsh light. It was blinding him and he couldn't see the sphere. He felt a strange tingle spread across his chest. Suddenly, pain washed over him as a lightning bolt from the energy sphere hurled him away. He tumbled away, rolling across the white floor.

The Rhino groaned, struggling to stand up. He clutched the side of his head, dizzy from the reeling lightning bolt. The sphere was still emitting its radiant light, the white walls and floor turning black.

Finally, the Flood form waved his hand again and the satellite was reassembled. It growls at the satellite and sets it on the floor.

"That energy sphere… it may seem harmless, but it's too dangerous to control." The combat form shuffles back to the entrance, dragging its feet behind him.

"I am bringing this satellite back with me." The Flood combat form turns around to see the Tenno standing beside the satellite. It pauses, stroking its chin.

"I will let you have it, if you can complete this task for me"

"What task?" Roscoe asks. The Flood form summons a holoprojector and activates it. The orange image of a metal humanoid appears. "In times of distress, they were summoned to protect their greatest secrets or exterminate their foes. In this case, the Warden will try to eliminate my kind."

The image disappears and Roscoe's heads up display is updated remotely by the Flood form. A loud buzzing noise and a golden light envelops both Roscoe and the Flood form as they are teleported.

A few seconds later, they enter a large coliseum-like room. On either side of the coliseum, the walls are lined with tall computer-like racks. Hovering above the floor is a large crystal chandelier, casting a warm orange light over the coliseum. Embedded in the wall ahead of Roscoe is a large oval metal pod. Orange light emanates from the pod's seams.

"I will return when you have completed your task." The Flood form disappears in a golden light, leaving the Tenno alone in the coliseum.

He chambers a clip into his Tiberon, places it on his back and walks toward the center of the coliseum. As he steps into the coliseum, the chandelier's lights turn fiery red, casting a blood-red light on the Tenno. The pod's outer shell explodes outward, dissipating into nanite particles. A fifteen-foot-tall metal humanoid body hums to life. It opens its orange eyes, squinting at the dim lighting. The humanoid steps out of its pod, looking around the coliseum.

Behind its waist, the Warden pulls out a disc-shaped handle with two rectangles at the ends. The rectangles expand forward, revealing it to be a twin-bladed hardlight sword.

"Who are you, non-Reclaimer?" it growls toward the Tenno. The guardian points the blade at the Warframe, its tip causing Roscoe's blue translucent energy shields to momentarily flicker.

Roscoe pushes the tip aside with his hand and charges into the Warden's torso with Rhino Charge. The Warden gasps in surprise and grabs Roscoe's shoulders, trying to stop his Rhino Charge. Metal grinded on metal as the Forerunner guardian stomps his feet into the floor. The Warden repeatedly slams his left fist over Roscoe's head, trying to break him. However, the metallic Iron Skin saves Roscoe from a brutal concussion.

Finally, the Warden viciously kneed the Tenno's gut and kicked Roscoe squarely in his chest. The Tenno tumbles over, lands on his stomach and hastily rolls to the side as an energy bolt scorches the floor.

The Warden leaps toward the Warframe and swings his twin-bladed sword overhead. Roscoe blocks the blade with his katana. The Warden pushes his sword harder into the katana, forcing the Tenno to push back.

With a flourish, the Tenno pushes the Warden's sword to the side and slams the katana's buttcap into the Forerunner guardian's metal forehead. The Warden stumbles backward, stunned by the move. Roscoe roars at the Warden, channeling his Roar ability throughout his body.

Energized by the revitalizing shout, Roscoe rams the Warden into the computer banks. Electricity crawls over the Warden's metal skin and the guardian twitches rapidly, shortening out his circuits. Taking a chance, he stabs his katana into the head, cracking the metal skull and the Warden howls in pain. He tries to get up but is kicked down by Roscoe, who reaches his Tiberon rifle from his back. He aims his rifle at the head and fires at the skull, the crack spreading across his skull like a spiderweb. Roscoe turns the rifle and hammers the skull with savage overhead swing.

The Warden's eyes go out as his skull breaks apart. His body drops to the floor, his sword contracts into its original form. Roscoe stares at the fallen Warden's body and kicks its chest, unsure if the guardian is truly dead. There is no response.

A yellow light illuminates the room for a brief second. The Flood combat form looks over the warden, its tentacles hovering over its head and chest. The Flood combat form grunts, confirming the Warden's demise.

Roscoe walks over to the inert disc-shaped handle and picks it up. He pulls the small trigger on the handle, wondering if the blades would expand.

An audible 'tik' is heard from behind. He turns around to see the Flood combat form shaking its head.

"Locked and inert it is, its bond remains connected to its owner" Green thin tentacles cover the white handle as the Flood combat form hacks the Forerunner sword. After a few minutes of sparks coming off the weapon, the Flood form returns the sword to its new owner.

Roscoe gingerly picks up the sword and places it in his inventory. Inspecting the black pod, he sees a small chest behind the seat. He drags the seat out of the stasis pod and hauls the chest into the open light.

He unlocks the chest and opens it. Inside the chest is a variety of Forerunner weapons, from a small handheld pistol to a hardlight dagger. He shuts the chest as the Flood form teleports the satellite to their location.

"Your part is done. Now, I shall uphold my part of the deal."

"Wait, please!" The Flood combat form stops midway through the teleportation process.

"Where is the Master Chief and the Sangheili warrior right now?" says the Tenno.

"The coffin is aboard the fools' ship, while the pallbearer is near the keyhole."

In a flash of light, Roscoe's environment transforms from the dark underground coliseum to the azure blue sky made by Halo's artificial environment system. To his right, he recognizes the colossal Library structure. To his left sits the inert satellite and chest.

White noise permeates the air as Roscoe receives an incoming transmission.

"We have a lock on his transponder signal, Lambert!" Jack shouts over the comms.

"Roscoe, are you alright? We lost contact with Captain Miranda and Sergeant Johnson." replies Lieutenant Lambert. There is a tinge of worry in her voice.

"I'm fine, Lambert. The situation has changed. Captain Miranda and Sergeant Johnson have been captured by the Covenant. The Master Chief is aboard High Charity and the Arbiter is near the Library."

"Understood, we are on our way. Sit tight." The comm line breaks off.

Roscoe looks at the gigantic mushroomed-shaped space station in the distance. There were many places the Chief could have been teleported to. The barracks, the prisons, the bridge room… there were too many places.

But, if the Chief was teleported to the Prophets' location… Roscoe chuckled at the imaginary sight of the Master Chief appearing in front of the Prophets, their mouths agape at the hulking sight of a seven-foot tall human man in green powered armor appearing in front of them.

It would be the Covenant's worst nightmare.


	34. The Prophets' Nightmare

Ch. 30: The Prophets' Nightmare

Above Installation 04

High Charity Council Room

* * *

Inside the chamber, the two remaining Prophets are speaking to the entire Covenant through a live broadcast. Tartarus stands behind the Prophets, looking around for intruders. Behind the camera is an Unggoy armed with a Needler.

A shimmering golden halo teleports the Master Chief behind the Unggoy cameraman, who turns around to see him. There is an awkward moment of silence between the two aliens. Finally, the Master Chief decides to break the tension.

"Boo"

The Unggoy yelps in surprise, tossing the Needler into the air. The Spartan supersoldier deftly catches the Needler in his hands and aims it at the stunned Prophets. Truth glares at the alien soldier before he issues his orders.

"Protect the Prophets!" he shouts. A pair of Jiralhanae Honor Guards stand in front of the Prophets, brandishing their Brute Shots at the Master Chief. Meanwhile, Tartarus and his personal guards escort the Prophets out of the council room.

The moment the Prophets leave, the room explodes into battle. The Master Chief runs around the room, strafing left and right to avoid the exploding grenades. He jumps toward one Brute and punches him in the jaw, momentarily stunning the wild beast. The Chief pulls the Brute Shot away from its owner and slashes his stomach with the large blade.

The first Brute goes down with a whimper as blood and guts spill from his wound. The second Brute charges at the Chief, recklessly shooting his Spiker. The Chief slides under the Brute Honor Guard and slices the exposed thighs. The Brute falls down, unable to get up. He crawls to a console, his trembling hand hovering above the screen.

A Needler shard pierces its Skull and its hand falls on top of the console. However, the console doesn't activate. The Master Chief looked around and placed his hand on top of a nearby holotank. The slim blue figure of Cortana appears in the holotank, her eyes glowing as she accesses High Charity's computer mainframe.

"That Prophet, Truth… He has the Index! You have to stop him." The sealed door is remotely unlocked by Cortana. He begins to run before he looks back at Cortana.

"I will be fine, Chief. It will be easier for me to track the Prophet this way." She urges the Chief to hurry along.

After several encounters with Covenant infantry, the Chief descended down to the prison cells through a reverse gravity lift. He landed silently to the ground and looked around. On either side of him are prison cells. Muffled yelling can be heard inside in the cells. Leaning against the purple walls was a sleeping Jiralhanae prison guard. A Plasma Rifle lay next to him. Crouching slowly, the Spartan slowly walked over to the sleeping guard and pulled out his combat knife. In one swift motion, he covered the guard's mouth and silted its throat.

The guard falls down, blood trickling out of his throat. The Chief placed his hand on top of the console. The console screen glowed white for a second and unlocked all of the prison cells. The yelling fell into silence as Marine prisoners stumbled out of their cells. The Master Chief tossed the Plasma Rifle to one of the Marines and pointed at the armory down the hall. The Marines quickly ran toward the open armory and grabbed various plasma weapons.

"What's our mission?" a corporal asked meekly.

"We are going to kill a Prophet and the Chief needs your help", Cortana answered.

The Marines grinned and hollered, energized by the fact they were going to kill the Covenant leaders. Without hesitation, they ran toward an open door and scouted ahead for the Chief.

A few Marines lingered around the cells as they were patched by two medics. The Chief looked as a medic applied biofoam to a wounded Marine's leg. The Corporal and two scouts rushed back to the cell, breathless from their run.

"What's the situation?" the Chief asked. The corporal hastily drank from his canteen before he answered.

"Sir, it's absolute chaos. They are fighting each other."

The Chief ran to the door and took a peek. Outside, the once united Covenant forces had dissolved into its respective races fighting each other. A group of Sangheili Ultras had taken cover by hiding behind some dimed alcoves. Across from them was the Jiralhanae, who were ordering the Unggoys and Kig-Yar snipers around. The crossfire between the two factions was intense. Needler shards and purple plasma bolts filled the empty no man's land as the two factions took potshots at each other.

"Any options, Cortana?" the Chief asked.

"Hmm… there are a few we can work with," Cortana said, "Our best option is to wait it out and let them kill each other. But, we're short on time right now. I suggest -" The sound of rockets filled the sky as both sides launched it at each other. The explosions rocked the open courtyard. There was silence as orange flames lingered on the floor.

"Never mind" Cortana said as she disappeared within the deep recesses of the Spartan's mind. The Spartan signaled the surviving Marines to follow him.

* * *

Elsewhere near Installation 05

The low humming sounds coming from a handheld scanning device ceased immediately as Rylan turned it off. He paced around the probe, which was sitting on the floor. After picking their captain. Both he and Roscoe carried the probe to the resource compaction room in the ship's rear.

The floor was littered with metal plates, exposing the probe's inner components. Even though it was deactivated, Rylan was cautious about pulling out certain parts. Based on Roscoe's testimony, the probe's power source had exhibited some strange activity.

He pulled the hidden hinge, which revealed a small computer. As he accessed the computer's data, he took notes on a nearby notebook. There were a few words that stood out to him as he wrote them down in the notebook.

An hour later, the Plantagenets' crew assembled in front of the satellite porbe. The Tenno stood on either side of the probe, while Silver Team, Lieutenant Lambert and a handful of other crewmen stood a few feet away.

"First of all, this satellite probe did come from our universe", the Revenant said as he pointed to himself.

"It was launched in 110 OE through the Gateway, a year before the Fall. After it exited the wormhole, it began transmitting data before it collapsed. From there, it drifted in space until it encountered the Halo. Upon discovery, the probe was captured and studied by the Monitor."

"The probe is powered by a Specium Energy containment sphere, which is responsible for almost every major system inside the probe. As for Specium Energy itself, there is not a lot of information on it. It has an atomic number of 133 and was discovered on Mars during the late Void Era. There was no record of its manufacturing process or its potential usage"

"What about the UAE Extraterrestrial Contact Team?" asked Jack.

"According to the data, they were responsible for launching the probe and collecting its data."

"Is there anything we can use to get back home?" asked Pallax.

"It has the coordinates to the Gateway" Rylan said. There was silence as his statement fell on the Tenno's head like a bag of bricks.

"Show it to us, right now!" Pallax shouted as they surged toward the probe like a pack of hungry wolves.

"Wait, wait, wait!" The Revenant protested as he tried to push the overzealous Tenno away from the small computer. The ODSTs hooked their arms under the Tenno's armpits and dragged them away.

He pressed the 'Enter' key and lines of numbers scrolled across the screen. It seemed to scroll forever until it ended with three lines of numbers:

"X-axis: 28.975, Y-axis: 41.011, Z-Axis: 5.250"

Pallax was about to scream in joy until he saw the numbers above the three coordinates.

"Wait, what are those numbers for?" he said, pointing to them.

"That's for accounting the wormhole and spacetime stuff. The only problem is that you need a really advanced AI for calculating that. Ordis would die from calculating the first ten equations." Rylan said sadly.

"At least we have a way to get back home. Now we just need a portal generator or something." Jack said as he attached himself to the pilot console. The Railjack soared through the sky as it made its ascent into space. The trembling stopped as the ship hovered in space.

In the distance, High Charity was surrounded by dozens of Covenant ships firing at each other. The bright explosions around the massive city-starship made it look like a floating Christmas tree. The battlenet was flooded with screams and panic.

"Ordis, Cy, what the hell is happening?" Jack cried out as the Railjack was inundated by the radio traffic. Lambert was at her computer, cycling through the traffic. There was so much screaming that she tossed her headset in frustration.

"It appears they are fighting one other, Operator. According to radio traffic, the Prophets have dismissed the Sangheili as their protectors and replaced them with the Jiralhanae. Naturally, the Sangheili were furious and demanded an explanation. The Jiralhanae refused and opened fire on them," Cy stated.

"Operator, we have a problem." Ordis interrupted

The view screen blurred for a second as Ordis took control. A CRS-class light cruiser flew toward the city-starship, oblivious to the raging civil war. Its rear engines were trailing black smoke as the ship took plasma fire from both sides.

"I don't see anything wrong with it. Unless-" Roscoe paused midway when Ordis brought up another screen, which highlighted the ship in various shades of green and purple.

"Jack, full power to engines now. We got a runaway Infested." ordered Roscoe. The sublight engines roared as the Railjack sped toward the light cruiser.

Numerous plasma lasers and torpedoes slammed against the Railjack's shimmering energy field. The ship shook as it raced toward the Flood-infested cruiser. Hornet missiles flew their launching pods and exploded against the plasma engines.

"Nothing's working, Cap! At this rate, it's going to crash into High Charity." shouted Jack as he narrowly evaded a plasma laser from their starboard side.

"What about the Tungchaka? It should pierce the armor at point-blank range." Roscoe responded as he gripped the command console.

"Hell no! There's no way I'm risking those creeps onto the ship!" Jack shouted back as he unleashed another Hornet missile swarm into the cruiser.

Captain Miranda Keyes was angry. The last thing she remembered was the numbing feeling of being electrocuted by a hammer. When she woke, she found herself in a prison cell. Outside, a Jiralhanae snarled at her and left. For hours, she sat in the poorly lit cell, repeating her service number and other identifying information to herself. Electronic buzzing halted her mantra as the cell door opened. The Brute with the gray mohawk growled at her.

"Get up, human" Tartarus growled at her. She sighed and got up. A pair of heavy manacles slipped over her wrists. She was prodded by a Brute guard and she walked. They stopped at another cell, which revealed the battle-hardened Marine glaring at the Brute. He simply put his hands and gestured at the Brute.

The small entourage left the prison brig through a gravity lift. The group walked across the hall and toward the waiting Prophets. Behind the Prophets were three hovering Phantoms. Miranda kept her eyes in the dark sky. In the distance, she saw a slim pyramid like starship in the center. From the corner of her eyes, a CRS-class light cruiser crashed into the inner walls, half of it was embedded in the wall and only the rear engines could be seen.

However, the Prophets and Brutes were unfazed by the sudden crash. It seemed as if they didn't notice it at all. The Brute strided toward the Prophets and prostrated himself before his leaders.

"O' Holy Ones, I have brought the prisoners before you. What is thy command?" Tartarus said.

Mercy gestured toward the Phantoms behind him. "Secure the prisoners and bring them to the site. One on each transport." Reaching from his inner pocket, he pulled out the Index Key, which shone brightly under the purple lighting.

"I entrust you and your brethren with our future." he said as he placed the small, but important key in Tartarus's open palm. The Brute gripped the key tightly and stared at the Prophet of Mercy. "Your will is my command" he replied.

Truth watched as the humans were shoved into the Phantoms. The chittering sounds of the Flood prompted him to quickly enter the remaining Phantom. As the Brute guards fended off the parasite, one got past them and latched on to Mercy's neck. Mercy futilely scratched at his neck, trying to get it off. Tartarus turned to free his leader, his hand reaching toward the parasite.

Truth raised his hand and softly said "No, Tartarus. He is done for". The Brute chieftain wrinkled his eyebrows, confused at his order. He looked back at the ailing Prophet, unsure of what to do.

Suddenly, a nearby gravity lift powered up and several figures descended from the upper floors. Tartarus's eyes widened as he recognized the figure. He gently pushed Truth into the Phantom in the middle and boarded Miranda's Phantom.

The Chief glanced at the Phantoms and ran full-steam, raising his Needler at them. Unfortunately, they got away. Two of them turned right and disappeared into the dark empty void, while the last one flew straight toward the pyramid-like ship.

There was a rasping gasp on his left. He saw a Prophet choking for air as the Flood wrapped itself around his frail throat. The Spartan stood over the Prophet.

"Your pal. Where's he going" he demanded. The alien Prophet chuckled a little before he answered the Demon.

"Earth.., he will finish what we started. And this time, none of you... will survive." he said weakly

The Chief pulled the Parasite throat and crushed it. The Prophet gasps one final time and dies. A lieutenant shook his head in shame.

"Chief. What the hell is that?" a private shouts as the Flood crawls from the light cruiser's wreckage.

"Behind me, now. Fire at will." The Chief orders. His command is cut short as missiles hit their target. He looks behind him as the Railjack hovers near the platform. Its doors open, revealing Pallax shouting at them.

"Get inside now, people! We don't have time!" he screams at the dumbfounded soldiers.

The Marines jumped into the ship, clearly wanting not to face those nightmarish creatures.

"What are you waiting for, Chief? Get in!" Pallax shouts at the Spartan.

Chief shook his head and pointed at the pyramid-like ship in the distance. "He's aboard that ship. I'm getting on it." he replied

"Then we will drop you off." Pallax exasperated loudly. He draws his Magnus revolver from its holster and fires at the incoming Flood parasites.

"Sir, they took Captain Keyes and Sargent Johnson to the Library. They intend to fire Halo." Cortana interrupted. "Don't worry about us. Just go." she says to the Excalibur.

"Don't die on us" says Pallax. He steps away from the doors and it automatically closes. The spacecraft launches toward the silver ring, leaving the Spartan and his AI companion alone on the platform.

"Any way to get on that ship, Cortana?" the Chief asks. Cortana simply points at a green transparent tube that extends toward the ship.

"That conduit is our only way in, Chief" she says. The Chief reaches to her, ready to bring her into his mind again. Cortana raises her hand in refusal. "Absolutely not, Chief. I have to stay here." she says. She points at the flaming wreckage, its engines on fire. "I can detonate that ship's reactor and blow it and the Flood sky high. I'm not risking a remote activation."

The Spartan sighed inwardly. She was right and he knew it. Without her on board, there was a good chance the Flood could control the ship and head to Earth. He nodded and grabbed the Needler.

"Lead the way" he says as he runs toward a door. Ten minutes later, after avoiding the chaos and Flood-infested Covenant soldiers, they found themselves on a small pedestal facing the ship. Above the Chief's head is the conduit leading to the ship. All he had to do was jump up and he would be swept by the current and into the ship.

"After I'm done with Truth…" Chief says. Cortana smiled at him and crossed her arms. "Don't make a girl a promise, if you can't keep it." she says. The Chief turns around, facing the ship and jumps up. Almost instantly, he is hurled toward the ship. The ship engines ignite and roar to life, with purple clouds emanating from it. As the doors close, the Spartan turns his body sideways and slides across the metal floor, sparks jumping from his metal boots.

Disengaging the final power cables from itself, the ship rises from the city-ship and soars through space. The stormy bluish tunnel of slipspace opens in front of the ship and swallows it whole, sending it to its destination.

* * *

Author's Note

It's been a while since the last chapter. I hope everyone is doing well during this unprecedented crisis. I'm doing well myself. Needless to say, one more chapter and Halo 2 arc is finished. (Yay!) There will be one non-canon chapter before the start of Halo 3, which will focus on retrieving the laser designator. Finally, a question for readers and reviewers alike.:

Do you want me to change Halo 4's ending?

From what I heard, its pretty controversial and some may want a 'better' ending than the one offered by 343 Industries

Until the next update - TPT


	35. Annoucement Part 1

Announcement Part 1

Due to circumstances, I have decided to end Beyond the Void for a few reasons. First of all, I underestimated how much I was going to write. Looking back at my old chapters, I realized I should have merged some of them to save time. Secondly, my interest in Warframe started to decline. While I still play the game, grinding for items has taken its toll on me. If I do come back, it will be when the New War campaign is released.

While I could have said "Done" and leave the story as is, I thought just compensation is in order. Therefore, here's a general outline of how the rest of the story would have continued.

* * *

Stopping Tartarus

The Arbiter is spit out of the Forerunner portal and finds himself outside. He notices the whines of Phantoms and sees them pass over him. In the distance, the Phantom carrying Tartarus and Miranda Keyes lands at the Library and drops them off.

Determined to stop Tartarus, the Arbiter goes to find survivors and encounters several Jiralhanae-led forces. Rtas finds him when he is piloting a hover tank and greets him. Rtas leads him to the survivors and he rallies them to his cause.

Meanwhile, in a crippled and damaged Scarab, Rylan and Carson abandon their transport as it slumps forward into the ground. Carson looks around for another transport while Rylan scouts ahead. Hiding in a shrub, the Revenant tails two Jiralhanae soldiers, who leads him to a prison camp. He spots Sergeant Johnson and rushes back to Carson to tell the Chroma.

As the duo make their way to the prison camp, Carson deploys his Specter canisters and explains the plan. Carson and the Specters would distract the guards while Rylan freed the prisoners and led them to safety.

The plan nearly works when Sergeant Johnson decides to take matters into his own hands. Dual wielding plasma rifles, he single-handedly takes down the prison guards' leader and hijacks a nearby Scarab by himself.

The Arbiter's forces arrive at the camp, stunned to find a human piloting the Scarab by himself. Rtas orders the survivors to fire on the Tenno, but his order is overridden by the Arbiter, who explains they are their allies. Cautious, the Tenno tentatively agree with the outcast Sangheili and grab a pair of Banshees to assist Sergeant Johnson.

The Plantagenet arrives in time to aid the allied forces by firing their Hornet missiles at the guards outside the Library. With the guards gone, Johnson blasts through the massive door with a single plasma shot.

Making their way inside the Library, they arrive to find that Tartarus has already activated the Halo. Arbiter and Johnson take on Tartarus's guards, while the four Tenno are pitted against Tartarus. Jack freezes Tartarus's legs with an ice beam while Carson engulfs the chieftain in flames with his Spectral Scream. As the fight continues, Tartarus's reinforcements pour into the chamber, forcing Jack and the others to deal with them. Roscoe baits the chieftain by insulting him and Tartarus charges him like a crazed bull. Roscoe uses his Rhino Stomp to stop the chieftain and prys the gravity hammer from Tartarus's meaty hands.

With a shout, Roscoe ends the chieftain with a brutal overhead swing and Tartarus's head is crushed from the impact. Demoralized by their leader's death, the Covenant forces run away in terror.

Miranda rips the Index Key from its pedestal, causing the Halo to abruptly stop its firing procedure. However, her actions trigger the failsafe, which activates all seven Halos for remote activation. At its climax, Guilty Spark tells the group of the Ark's location.

After this chapter, I was going to focus on the Battle of Sector Six, which would have featured the Silver Team. The rest of the story follows the Halo 3 campaign, ending with a classified meeting between the Tenno and the UEG President and UNSC High Command. In light of aiding the UNSC, the Tenno are offered positions within the UNSC military.

Pallax and Roscoe are personally offered a position as an ONI officer by Admiral Serin Osman. In exchange, they must hand over crucial information regarding the Tenno and the Warframe. She blackmails the bodyguard by stating that ONI would deem the Tenno as part of the Covenant, stripping them of any protection from the former bodyguard counters her threat by stating he had Ordis hack ONI's database via Lambert's datapad and has retrieved evidence on the Spartan programs and other illegal operations.

Serin thinks he's bluffing, stating she would have known immediately. Roscoe casually tells Ordis to 'cut the veil'. It's at this moment she is alerted that the database has been hacked for nearly a month.

Pallax offers the former Spartan a quid pro quo: He is willingly to keep ONI's illegal affairs a secret. In exchange, he will tell Serin certain information on the Tenno and how they operate. Grudgingly, she accepts his offer and Roscoe becomes an ONI officer.

Carson is recruited by the crippled Spartan Musa Ghanem to become a combat instructor for a new generation of Spartan supersoldiers, Spartan-IVs. Having heard high praises from Noble Team, Ghanem explains the Spartan program's origins to Carson. Enraged at ONI's heinous actions, the Chroma nearly calls an anonymous tip line before Musa shoots the phone out of his hand.

Musa calms the Chroma by explaining that he does intend to follow his predecessors' footsteps. Like Carson, he agrees that ONI should be held in contempt for doing such criminal acts. However, he also knows that Spartans are the only ones capable of protecting the UNSC. He gives a general outline of the Spartan IV program and its procedure. In addition, he asks that Carson specifically teach about the Tenno's enemies. When Carson asks why, Musa explains it will be told at the end of the meeting.

Mollified by Musa's explanation, Carson accepts the offer, with the addendum that he gets to keep and use prototype weapons.

Jack is offered by the UNSC Air Force to become a test pilot for its newest fighter plane: the F-41 Broadsword. Curious about the fighter, he accepts the offer.

Rylan is the only one to refuse his UNSC commission. Despite encouragement from Lord Hood, his desires to pursue a higher education (university) is a higher priority for him. In the end, he becomes a reserve commissioned officer and given a stipend for his college education. He enrolls in the Australian National University pursuing a double major in Engineering Science and Mechanical and Material Systems.

The group reconvenes and Lord Hood explains the Icarus Expedition. After examining planetary data that Pallax gave to UNSC HIGHCOM, they decided to launch an ambitious program to send humans to colonize the Warframe Universe. It was decided that a joint expedition composed of Insurrectionists and UNSC would be the best method.

At first, the Tenno oppose this plan, fearing it would lead to lawlessness in their galaxy. Secondly, they pointed out that they were not responsible for holding their human counterparts responsible. As such, the Tenno wanted guarantees from both sides not to attack or alienate one another.

Silver Team is recommended to become Spartan IVs and join the first class. However, due to their experiences with the Tenno, they are assigned to the Special Warfare group after graduation, where they are trained in using the Mjolnir Mark VII suit.

* * *

The Monolith

On May 24th, 2557, the Tenno gathered together to celebrate Rylan's graduation from ANU. Roscoe is assigned to the UNSC flagship, UNSC Infinity as ONI's chief liaison officer. He is known within ONI as Triton, as he is the first person/alien to have worked in all three departments (Section 1, 2 and 3). He is seen in black and grey colors. He also sports custom made shoulder pads that bear ONI's insignia.

Carson continues to work as a combat instructor for the Spartan IVs. In his class, he teaches the Spartans about the Tenno enemies and pits the cadets against holographic versions of the Tenno's enemies.

Jack becomes a wing leader of a Broadsword squadron known as Zulu Squadron.

During the party, the conversation transitions from Rylan's studies to a mysterious event occurring throughout the galaxy. Over the years, there had been sightings of newly built UNSC ships appearing over planets. The ships were devoid of any crew members, but it was equipped with a Forerunner slipspace engine and the latest UNSC weapons.

Roscoe says the last sighting was over Harvest and consisted of 5 Paris-class heavy frigates. He fears that the current trend will spawn more ships to come. Pallax slaps him in the back, saying he should focus on the festivities as he will be leaving tomorrow aboard the Infinity.

On July 24, 2557, Noble Team was sent to investigate a fleet of UNSC ships that had appeared over Reach. The fleet corresponds with the number of ships destroyed during the battle. However, the inclusion of a Valiant-class super-heavy cruiser gets their attention. Inside, they are surprised to find a crew member in a cryopod.

The lone crewman tells Noble Team about the Everest and its CO, Vice Admiral Preston Cole. As ONI had guessed, he and his loyalists had indeed survived the Battle of Psi Serpentis. The last crewmember hands Carter a note containing coordinates to his hideout. He also mentions that there is another Tenno there.

Carter relays the information to Admiral Osman, who immediately sends her personal team, Kilo-Five, to investigate the hideout. Unknown to Osman, Ordis intercepts the message and alerts Pallax about the mission. Pallax calls the remaining Tenno to gather at the Plantagenet and prepare for their mission. On the way, he briefs them about the coordinates and mention of another Tenno. When asked about who it might be, Pallax reveals to the team about Theo. Seeing as it is the only possible way, the team eventually arrives at the hideout.

To their surprise, the hideout turns out to be a planetoid-sized metal sphere floating in space. As the sensor readings come in, Jack remarks the planetoid is the size of Saturn. Ordis notices a stealth ship near an opening and directs the Railjack toward it.

Dismayed to find that ONI has beaten them, the team follows Kilo-Five's trail. Eventually, they find themselves in a long corridor. Laying on the floor are dead armored soldiers with a red sash around their arms. A shocked Pallax recognizes the armor as SPI armor. As he examines each corpse, he explains that SPI armor was used by the Spartan IIIs and was similar to the Tenno PDAS. He is bewildered at how they got the armor, since its construction was closely monitored by ONI.

At the end of the corridor is a Warframe that is slouching over. Pallax recognizes the Warframe as Theo because of its strange arm-like scissor blade. Behind them is a female Spartan that is firmly embedded into the wall. Her Mjolnir suit is covered in scratches and deep gashes. The helmet is cracked, but not broken.

Rylan quickly injects biofoam into the suit injector sites to staunch the bleeding. The Spartan stirs and tries to punch him, but he ducks. With Carson restraining her free arm, Rylan injects adrenaline, hoping to resuscitate the Spartan.

With a hoarse gasp, the Spartan wakes up and tries to move. Recognizing the figure at the far end of the corridor, she warns them that 'he's too powerful'. Rylan asks her where the rest of her teammates are and she gestures to the door behind the Warframe. The Warframe wakes up and leaps toward Pallax.

Pallax notices that the suit has 'matured' over time. It no longer has its rough edges and instead becomes sleek. Its prominent feature, the bright blue core, is surrounded by a silver rim. A pair of curved yellow bands are displayed on his chest. Its 'eyes' are a pair of yellow elongated and egg-shaped.

Stepping forward, Pallax asks if Theo was there. Instead, Pallax is greeted by a deep laugh from the Warframe. Immediately, the Warframe is surrounded by the Tenno, who are pointing their rifles at it.

The Warframe remarks that it has been a long time since he last saw Pallax. Pallax demands that it allows Theo to regain control. Unfortunately, the Warframe refuses, saying that he will not relinquish control to Theo

The Warframe leaps away from the team and challenges the Tenno to fight him. If they win, he will allow them to enter the Sanctuary, where they will find the remaining Kilo-Five members. They accept the challenge and the Warframe duplicates himself into three clones. The first clone is covered in red and gold markings and is armed with heavy gauntlets, while the second clone is covered in purple and silver markings. (These three enemies are referred to as Red Clone, Blue Clone and Original)

The fight begins with the clone Warframes charging at their opponents. The Tenno dodge the clones' attack and shoots back at them. However, they are deflected by the armblade. Red Clone manages to pin Carson to the wall and punches him several times in the ribs. Carson doubles over in pain, clutching his ribs. Suddenly, Red Clone grabs him by the legs and lifts him overhead.

A puddle of dark murky water grows at Red Clone's feet and he drags the Chroma underwater. Once the Chroma's head disappears underwater, it closes immediately.

Jack is disarmed by Blue Clone and he is choked by the arm-like scissor blade. Flailing helplessly, Blue Clone opens an alternate dimension and flies toward it. The portal closes behind them.

The two remaining Tenno are left fighting the original, who opens his own portal by stomping his feet, which cracks the ground and pulls them underneath. The Spartan watches the ground reforms itself and is left alone in the hall.

Carson finds himself being dragged underwater and unable to escape. However, he is surprised to find that he can breathe underwater. He immediately realizes that this is an alternate dimension. With a crash, he finds himself on the underwater floor. He slowly stands up, unaccustomed to the heavy weight of being underwater.

However, his opponent shows no sign of struggling as he quickly runs toward Carson. Carson unleashes his Spectral Scream, temporarily blinding Red Clone. He tries to punch Red Clone, but his opponent simply catches it and kicks Carson in the chest. Carson rolls over and stands up, but his opponent slams his gauntlet fists into his shoulders, pushing him down into the floor.

With his legs stuck, Carson activates his ultimate, sending his sentry to attack Red Clone. It has no effect on him and the sentry is tossed aside like a helpless bird. With a final slam, Carson's fate is sealed as his entire body is driven to the ground like a nail, leaving his head exposed.

Carson pleads with the Warframe to stop its rampage, but it ignores him as it charges his fists with energy. The clone slams his fists into the ground, causing a red circle to appear around the trapped Chroma. The floor shakes and rumbles as the clone channels the underwater magma to erupt under the chroma. With a powerful explosion, the Chroma is engulfed in a pillar of magma and is shot to the surface, where he crashes into the ground, his armor scorched and peeling off.

Like Carson, Jack is also transported to an alternate dimension. This dimension resembles an asteroid field in space. After tossing Jack into an asteroid, the Frost activates his Snowglobe to protect himself. He tries to shoot down the Blue Clone with Freeze, but it avoids him by hiding behind asteroids and takes potshots at the Tenno with his armblade. Blue Clone dives toward Jack and drags the Tenno across the asteroid's surface before crashing into another one.

Unable to fight back, Jack resigns to his fate as Blue Clone fires a lance of energy at him. He too leaves the dimension and is embedded into a wall.

Rylan and Pallax are transported to a valley filled with withering grass. In the distance, they can see a city burning and silhouettes of giant humanoid figures fighting each other. While the figures have varying features, such as horns and mustaches; all of them have a blue core in their chest.

Rylan wonders aloud why they have been brought in the midst of a civil war, but his question goes unanswered as the Original appears before the duo.

Pallax asks where they have been transported, but the Original gives a cryptic answer, saying it is "the beginning and ending of civilization". With that, he summons an energy whip and whirls it overhead. With a crack, he straightens the whip, transforming it into a blade, and lunges his scissor armblade at Rylan, but Pallax intercepts it and parries the blade away. Both the Excalibur and the mystery Warframe fight each other, parrying and attacking each other at a ferocious speed. Meanwhile, Rylan uses his Macabre Dance to fire his laser at the Original from behind.

Sensing the beam, the Original grabs one of Pallax's wrist with his scissor armblade and pulls Pallax toward him. He pushes Pallax in front of him and uses him as a human shield. Pallax takes the full brunt of the beam, screaming in pain. His chest is burnt and he falls down.

Horrified by his mistake, Rylan tries to run away, but the Original teleports in front of him. As he walks toward the rookie Tenno, the Original mocks Rylan for his foolish mistake. Rylan refuses and insults the Original to "give its best shot".

Amused by Rylan's poor insult, the Original proposes a duel: each of them would use their ultimate simultaneously. Whoever survives wins the challenge.

Rylan agrees and prepares to charge his energy. Across from Rylan, the Original gathers energy into his hands, which glow brightly.

Simultaneously, they fire their beams at each other, resulting in a clash of energy. The beams are pushed back and forward as they try to get the upper hand. Finally, the Original overpowers Rylan, sending the Revenant flying in the air.

The Original prepares to skewer Rylan, but the blue orb on his chest starts blinking red. Dumbfounded, the Original collapses to the ground, clutching his orb. He remarks it has been a long time since he fought and he surrenders to Rylan. The trio are transported back to the corridor and the Original blacks out from exhaustion.

Rylan activates a Medium Health Restore pack to revive Pallax and the Excalibur slowly gets up. Prodding the unconscious Warframe, Pallax is unable to wake him up. Both Rylan and Pallax open the door, which reveals a massive room filled with UNSC ships. At the bottom of the floor, the duo can see ships being constructed by drones and other Forerunner machinery; while at the top, newly built ships are being activated remotely from a nearby tower. Upon entering the tower's ground floor, the duo are held at gunpoint by Insurrectionists and escorted to the top.

There, they are greeted by five people: a Forerunner, Theo's father and his friend, Vice Admiral Cole and the priestess.

* * *

Part 2 will be coming soon. For now, here is the Warframe Profile

Name: Unknown

Created from the deceased Amadeus Holtern, the unknown entity is capable of manipulating Specium Energy, the Gateway's primary power source.

Passive: True Sentience - Unlike Excalibur Umbra, who became sentient due to his memory of killing of his Dax son Isiah, this Warframe is capable of sentient speech and thoughts.

Native equipment (Weapons attached to body):

Drafork - A scissor-like arm blade on Theo's right wrist. Length is 24 inches.

Solbrace - A golden bracelet with pulsating red veins around Theo's left wrist. The red veins inscribed in the bracelet is made of ruby.

Ability 1: Valtester - Allows Theo to fire energy bolts from Drafork in rapid sucession. Capable of stunning people, which lasts 1 minute

Ability 2: Lava Punch - His right fist covered in melting lava, Theo dashes forward and sends a devasting right hook punch to the enemy.

Ability 3: Shadow Mist - Summoning darkness to cloak himself, Theo is cloaked and undetectable. Its unique trait allows him to travel in people's shadows and mirrors.

Ability 4: Takeover - Theo relinquishes control and allows "It" to come out. Unique trait is that the abilities change, allowing "It" to manifest its true powers

* * *

"It" powers

Passive: Type Change - "It" can transform between three modes: Strength, Speed, and Normal. Strength changes his skin to red and gold, Speed to blue and silver, Normal to its multicolor state of red blue and gold, which is its default state

Strength Mode - "It" is armed with heavy gauntlets and can manipulate fire and earth

Ability 1: Dark Water - Transports the enemy and himself to an underwater arena. Enemy movement is slowed, while "It" remains normal

Ability 2: Twin Lava Fists - Coats the gauntlet with lava and unleashes a flurry of punches. Deals fire damage over time

Ability 3: Shoulder Tomb - "It" leaps into the air and lands on the enemy's shoulders, causing the enemy to sink into the floor. Can be used twice. Enemy's leg become stuck after first use. Second use, the enemy's entire body sinks to the floor, except for their head.

Ultimate: Darramb's Rage - "It" gathers Specium energy into his gauntlets and plunges them into the ground. A pillar of underwater magma erupts underneath the target, inflicting severe fire and impact damage

Speed Mode - "It" is armed with a longer version of the Drafork and can manipulate wind and water. Length is 40 inches

Ability 1: Asteroid Field - Transports the enemy and himself to an asteroid field in space. Enemy reaction speed is slowed, while "It" remains normal

Ability 2: Valtester Enhanced - A stronger version of Valtester, this version has enough strength to blow apart asteroids.

Ability 3: Mach Rush - "It" dives toward the enemy at Mach speed and drags the enemy across the asteroid's surface before tossing them away.

Ultimate: Hudra's Scream - "It" gathers Specium energy to his Drafork and unleashes a lance of energy at the target. Inflicts severe piercing damage

Normal Mode - "It"'s default mode before activating Type Change. Can manipulate light and darkness

Ability 1: Dead Plains of Ryloth Island - Transports the enemy and himself to field outside the ancient city of Ryloth. An alternate dimension formed from "It"'s memory, this was where he died.

Ability 2: Duplicate - Can create up to two clones of himself.

Ability 3: Whipblade - Summons a whip made out of Specium energy from his left hand. Can transform into a short sword.

Ultimate: Specium Ray - Puts his arm in a plus (+) sign, his right arm vertical and left arm horizontal. Unleashes a Specium beam from his right vertical hand.


	36. Annoucement Part 2

Announcement Part 2

The second part of the draft I made in part one of the announcement.

* * *

Setting the Record Straight

Relieved that his long-lost friends are alive, Pallax asks for an explanation for their apparent survival.

Norik explains that after escaping the research base, they headed to Earth to hide from the Orokin. During the Great Massacre, the engineer is mistakenly identified as a high-ranking official and the trio are captured by GEMINI, the Orokin intelligence agency.

When they arrive, they find themselves in a large room filled with engineers and government officials. The GEMINI director explains that the Emperors have been killed by the Tenno, causing the crowd to panic. He assures them, saying that the former rulers created a contingency order.

He gives a brief overview of the Gateway, saying that they have discovered a way to travel through the multiverse. Knowing how valuable it would be, GEMINI sealed the information in a Vault and sent it to a random universe. He pulls out a modified Vault Key, which splits into numerous pieces. Each piece contained a coordinate, which leads to the next piece.

In the event of the Emperors' demise, GEMINI was tasked to round up the engineers and government officials involved in the Sentients and Warframe project. Each survivor was given a piece of the Key and they would be scattered to different universes. If anyone tried to access the Vault, they would have to travel throughout the multiverse to rebuild the key.

The director hands out the pieces and ushers them to their shuttle. One by one, they are launched into the Gateway and sent to their destinations. Norik's shuttle crash-lands into the Monolith, where they are taken to the Forerunner overseer. The overseer awakens from his Cryptum, a Forerunner stasis chamber, and is confused, asking how long he has slept.

After his question is answered, he introduces himself. His name is Spirit of Endurance aka Keeper, former Theoretical turned Builder. He was a scholar who studied energy phenomena. After his rate was forcibly merged into the Builders, he became known for his management techniques and was promoted as Vice Master Builder. He served as Faber's right hand man and oversaw the construction of the Halo array.

After making a mistake, he was sent into exile and became overseer of the Monolith, a Shield Installation that made Forerunner ships and armor. To prevent the Flood from infecting them, the Monolith was located at the southern edge of the galaxy. As such, they were protected from the Halo's effects when it was fired. Keeper went into his Cryptum until he was awakened by the trio.

Negotiations are made between Keeper and the stranded trio. In exchange for information from the Warframe Universe, the Forerunner would build artificial bodies for Norik and Oliver. Meanwhile, the two scientists try to help Theo unlock his powers. However, with each power unlocked, Theo gradually loses control of his Warframe. They stop their progress when he is overtaken by 'It' during an exercise and goes berserk.

An Insurrectionist cargo ship discovers the Monolith and attempts to land on it. They are captured by the drones and taken to Keeper, who questions them. The cargo crew that the year is 2545 and explain about the war. The interrogation is interrupted by the Everest's arrival, who had responded to the cargo ship's distress call.

Vice Admiral ( ) Cole demands that they release the captured crew or he will fire on the installation. Keeper refuses and activates the gravity well, dragging the Everest inside. Outnumbered by alien drones, Cole surrenders to protect his ship and crew.

Cole confirms that the war is going on by allowing Keeper access to the computer system, which allows him to connect to the UNSC communication grid.

Keeper explains that the Covenant's entire religion is wrong, stating they are not the Reclaimers. Instead, the Forerunners had chosen humanity as its successor. Unwilling to allow humanity to fall, he decides to manufacture new UNSC ships, upgraded with Forerunner technology.

Starting with the Charon-class cruiser, the Monolith increases its productions at a rapid pace. By 2553, he had produced nearly two thousand ships (500 Marathon-class heavy cruisers, 500 Paris-class heavy frigates, 750 Charon-class light frigates, 250 Epoch-class heavy carriers, 5 Orion-class assault carriers, 4 Valiant-class super heavy cruisers, 1 Punic-class supercarrier). When he uncovers the Spartan-III program, he sends the Orokin trio and a group of Marines to the asteroid K7-49, where Alpha Company perished. Keeper asks them to retrieve as many bodies as possible because he wants to manufacture SPI armor.

The group are disgusted by his request, arguing that it was unethical and morally wrong. However, he promises to create SPI armor for the entire UNSC military. After much wrangling with Cole, the former admiral reluctantly allows them to pillage the fallen soldiers.

The group returns with forty bodies, all of them equipped with broken SPI armor. Before stripping the corpses, they hold a mass funeral for the corpses, honoring them for their sacrifice.

As the Monolith churns out both armor and ships, Keeper halts his ship production when the Infinity appears. Tracing its slipspace-drive signature, he tracks it to the Oort cloud. Once again, he dispatches the Orokin trio to retrieve its blueprint.

Theo successfully retrieves the blueprint, but "It" suddenly asserts its control. Fearing a rampage, both Norik and Oliver manage to tranquilize the runaway Warframe and return to their vessel.

For four years, Keeper directs the construction of the second Infinity supercarrier, diverting most of his resources to it. As a result, his SPI armor falls short of its quota and Cole asks him to continue production. The production continues slowly due to a lack of resources. In May 2557, the second Infinity supercarrier was completed. The SPI armor production increases and is near completion.

Keeper receives word that the Covenant remnants are near Requiem, the first Shield installation. Fearing that they would awaken the sleeping Didact, he asks Cole to send a crewman aboard a Valiant cruiser with coordinates to the Monolith.

Pallax asks to see the piece and notices the coordinates inscribed in it. The group are interrupted when a drone alerts them that the Didact has awakened.

Time of the Essence

On Requiem, Roscoe is sent to patrol the alien jungle alongside Executive Officer Thomas Lasky and a squad of Spartan IVs. He spots several Forerunner enemies and hides behind a tree. He signals Palmer the number of enemies and points in their direction. Through hand signal, she orders the squad to spread out. Once they have spreaded out, Roscoe jumps into the open clearing and fires at one of the warriors. They converge on him, firing their weapons at him. Clad in Iron Skin, he slices at their hands, causing them to drop their weapons.

However, enemy reinforcements arrive and they retreat to a building. Outnumbered, Lasky tries to call for help, but the radio is having problems. Impatient, he leaves the building to collect the fallen weapons for ONI researchers. He carries an armload of weapons until he hears soft footsteps behind him. Dropping the weapons, he draws his twin revolvers and aims them at the Master Chief's face, whose assault rifle is pointed at his chest.

Dialogue

Roscoe: Good to see you, Chief

Master Chief: {Lowering his assault rifle} Likewise, sir

Cortana: What are you doing here, Roscoe? Where are the others?

Roscoe: Back at Earth, I suppose. Got somebody you might wanna meet. {Knocks on the door} Open up! Chief's here!

The door opens up and the Spartans greet him with a nod. Lasky is surprised and shakes the Chief's hand. The radio sparks to life, with Del Rio angrily ordering people around. Lasky tells Del Rio that the Master Chief is alive and requests an extraction; however, Del Rio tells them to shut down the Forerunner turrets.

Both Master Chief and Roscoe are able to accomplish this task and they return to Infinity, where it is under siege from Covenant and Promethean forces. The duo board Mantis mechs and destroy the jammers, allowing Infinity to launch a counter attack with its MAC cannons.

Afterwards, there is a short briefing session between the Infinity's crew and Master Chief. Del Rio states that Infinity will return to Earth to inform FLEETCOM of the coming threat. Baffled by his actions, both Roscoe and Master Chief insist that Infinity chase down the Didact. Del Rio ignores them and leaves for his private quarters.

A few minutes later, they and Gypsy Company are aboard a Mammoth transport. They are tasked with destroying the gravity well, allowing Infinity to leave Requiem. The gravity well is destroyed and they return to Infinity. Cortana has her rampancy outburst, causing Del Rio to order her termination. Master Chief refuses to hand her over and Del Rio angrily orders his arrest.

Roscoe has had enough and pistol-whips Del Rio in the back of his head, knocking him out. He then promotes Lasky to acting captain, stating that Del Rio made 'significant errors' during their Requiem campaign. Cortana tells Roscoe that he will be stripped of his rank, but Roscoe shrugs off the impending threat and tells them to chase the Didact. Infinity will head to Earth to inform FLEETCOM and mobilize the entire Home Fleet for battle.

Boarding a Pelican, the fugitives jump to slipspace and head for Ivanoff Station.

* * *

Yuzare's Tale

Meanwhile, back at the Monolith, Keeper immediately launches the rest of the ships to Earth and tells Cole to join the group. Turning back to Pallax and Rylan, who are now joined by an injured Carson and Jack, he leads the group to a separate room containing an unknown ship.

Along the way, the priestess AI reveals who she is and her story. Her name is Yuzare, an AI modelled after the first human leader. In her universe, her people had been besieged by various monsters and were saved by giant alien humanoid warriors. These warriors became known as "the Giants of Light" due to their abilities. The Giants sealed away a monstrous entity named Gatanozoa aka the World Eater, who was responsible for summoning the monsters.

Both human and Giant lived in harmony and enjoyed a symbiotic relationship between each other. Humanity gained knowledge from the Giants, evolving rapidly from an agrarian society into a pre-spacefaring civilization. In exchange for such knowledge, the Giants required vessels (human hosts) to live inside as they couldn't maintain their own forms for a long time.

Having adopted human nature through their hosts, the Giants formed their own nations and traded with the humans. By then, humanity became stuck in the middle between two growing Giant nations. That peace did not last when a group of Giants decided to cause a civil war between the two nations. A suicide bombing led to an excalation between the Giant nations and led to civil war.

Fearing the worst, Yuzare created a time capsule with an AI version of herself, which contained information on the various monsters ancient humanity faced and launched it into space.

The ensuing war generated so much hatred and anger that Gatanozoa's seal broke due to the growing darkness. At its climax, there was a battle at Ryloth Island, ancient humanity's capital. The Giants fought each other so viciously that humanity was nearly exterminated. In the end, it was too late for the Giants as Gatanzoa returned full power and wiped out the weakened Giants of Light. The few surviving Giants of Light escaped the island and left Earth, leaving stone statues of themselves in pyramids of light. Gatanozoa goes into hibernation and sleeps on the abandoned island.

Fast forward to the 21st century, humanity thrives without any monster appearances until the year 2009. An anti-monster defense team, GUTS, is created to protect humanity. The original time capsule lands into Earth and GUTS retrieves it. Following the AI's instructions, the team revives the last Giant of Light named Tiga. From there, both Tiga and GUTS fight various monsters until Gatanozoa is defeated.

Yuzare AI explains that the capsule contained the soul of a Giant who had tried to stop the evil group, but failed. With his dying breath, he transferred his soul into his Color Timer, the blue orb in Theo's chest. Having a second capsule on hand, her creator launched it into space.

The group arrive at their destination, where Yuzare presents a spaceship for the Tenno to use: the Artdessei, a huge battleship/carrier armed with an energy cannon. She explains that this ship was GUTS's greatest weapon in its arsenal. Modified with Forerunner technology, it has become more powerful than before. Inside its hangar bay, she presents the GUT Wing 1 and GUTS Wing 2, the defense team's primary fightercraft.

Both fightercraft have been upgraded and are capable of slipspace travel. She explains that they must join the Home Fleet on Earth and prepare for the Didact's arrival. Although she is unsure of their victory, Yuzure is confident that the Artdessei will protect them, just as it protected the GUTS team.

On Earth, the Home Fleet is augmented by a dozen Marathon-class cruisers and three Valiant class super heavy cruisers. The new ships are operated by skeleton crews and are led by Vice Admiral Cole.

After surviving the Composer's attack on Ivanoff Station and hitching a ride on the Didact's ship, the Master Chief and Cortana find the Home Fleet waiting for the enemy ship. Unleashing a barrage of MAC cannons, Mantle's Approach is unfazed as its shields activate. The Didact counterattacks, firing precision shots at the UNSC vessels and crippling them.

The Artdessei jumps out of slipspace and engages Mantle's Approach by firing its turrets at it. Once its energy cannon is charged, the Artdessei fires it at the ship, penetrating its shields and cutting the Composer in half. Enraged at the attack, the Didact focuses all firepower on the Artdessei.

Infinity fires its MAC Cannons, opening a path for the Master Chief. Roscoe follows him in a Broadsword and assists Chief in retrieving the HAVOK nuke from the Chief's damaged ship. They reach the Composer, where the Didact begins to fire the damaged weapon. Roscoe distracts the Didact, allowing Cortana to manipulate the hard light bridge and trapping the mad Forerunner.

The Forerunner attempts to destroy Cortana's exit, but he is tackled to the ground by the Rhino. Chief retrieves Cortana and plants a pulse grenade on the Didact's shoulder, which makes him fall into the slipspace rupture underneath the Composer. (This alternate action means that Cortana lives and never enters the Domain. In essence, Halo 5 doesn't occur)

Roscoe activates the HAVOK nuke and the duo escape just as the bomb detonates. They are rescued by a Pelican and taken back to Infinity. Due to her actions, Cortana is placed in an emergency stasis right before she falls into rampancy.

* * *

Aftermath and Conclusion

At FLEETCOM HQ, the Tenno reunite with one another. Roscoe is shocked to hear that Theo and the scientists survived, thinking they were dead. At a convened meeting, the top brass are briefed on the Monolith and its abilities. Immediately, Serin recommends that they claim the factory as UNSC property. However, Cole states that it has already been discovered by the Insurrectionists and proposes it should be neutral to prevent escalation.

In a private meeting, Serin admonishes Roscoe for his actions, stating that while Del Rio was incompetant, Roscoe had broken military law for striking him. As such, he is stripped of his ONI commission but is allowed to keep his copy of ONI files. Lord Hood approaches him with an UNSC commission, allowing him to choose his own ship. After choosing his ship, Roscoe is promoted to Rear Admiral in recognition of his service. He is tasked to lead a joint Tenno-UNSC task force.

Following the battle, Keeper secretly arrives on Earth through a slipspace portal, teleporting himself from the Monolith to the Voi Portal. He is able to temporarily change the Portal's designated destination from the Ark to the Warframe Universe.

Pallax volunteers to go back first and the Voi Portal is activated. Pallax pilots his Railjack into the portal and arrives back at the Gateway. A stunned Teshin Dax greets him, asking where the others are. Pallax points back at the portal, where a Paris-class heavy frigate exits the portal.

For seven months, negotiations between the Tenno, UNSC and Insurrectionist representatives began in secret. Although both the Corpus and Grineer Empire notice the portal open, they are too busy with fighting each other. In order to distract them, the Tenno conduct hit and run tactics, prolonging the war between the two enemy factions.

An agreement is reached between the three factions. First of all, the Neutrality Strip is created and serves a buffer zone between the two factions. It begins in Estonia and stretches all the way to Yemen.

The UNSC will colonize land to the west of the buffer zone, while the Insurrectionists will colonize the eastern part. North America and South America are deemed to be unlivable, while Australia is considered semi-livable under extreme conditions.

Both the UNSC and Insurrectionists are allowed to send new colonists and their respective military to live in the Warframe Universe. However, there are restrictions on how many people they can bring. Both factions are allowed to bring nine million civilians and six million military personnel.

To balance out the military scale, the Insurrectionist military is given updated UNSC vessels without Forerunner technology. Both militaries are allowed to bring 1,700 ships with them. Among the UNSC ships going to the new world is Roscoe's ship. The day before they depart, the Artdessei goes ahead and jumps to the clan sector, where the Gray Sentinels await its arrival.

On the day of departure, the UNSC's Sixth Expeditionary Fleet and the Insurrectionists' Frontier Fleet leave their home universe behind and begin their new lives in a vastly different and dangerous world.

* * *

Miscellaneous Lore

These terms will be referred to be in my next story, so current and future readers might want to remember them.

Neutrality Zone - Starting from Estonia and ending in Yemen, the countries within this zone are considered neutral ground. No weapons are permitted within the zone and security is at an all-high status. It is the center hub for diplomats and ambassadors.

UNSC Europe-Northern Africa Colony - Aka Neo Europe. Home to seven million UEG citizens, its capital and military headquarters is located in Paris, France.

Asiatic Union (formerly Insurrectionists) - Home to seven million ex-UEG citizens, its capital and military headquarters are located in Busan, South Korea.

UNSC 6th Expedition Fleet (6-FLEETCOM) - Comprised of many upgraded UNSC vessels with Forerunner technology, they are both protectors and representatives of the UEG. It is led by Admiral Jacob Keyes, former captain of the famous Pillar of Autumn.

Asiatic Union Frontier Fleet (AUFCOM) - Comprised of UNSC ships without Forerunner technology. Despite this advantage, all ships have high-grade ablative armor and state-of-the-art slipspace drives. The fleet serves to protect the newly formed Asiatic Union and serve its interest. Occasionally, it aids its UNSC counterpart in small skirmishes with the Corpus and Grineer. It is led by Admiral Preston Cole, former UNSC vice admiral and captain of the Everest.

Task Force Juno - An experimental joint UNSC-Tenno task force commanded by the newly-promoted Rear Admiral Roscoe. The goal was to integrate select Tenno into the UNSC ranks and aid them in their battles.

* * *

And that's it, guys. Beyond the Void is officially over and I want to thank fellow readers for giving me a chance. I highly value your opinion, so feel free to comment on anything you liked or disliked. Before I go, I am giving you the option of choosing which ship Roscoe commands. Anything from the Infinity to a small Paris-class heavy cruiser, as long as its part of the UNSC Navy, it will do.

Until next time. Phantom out


End file.
